Orthotics
Medical Legal
Medical Insurance
What is Orthotics?
Orthotics is the profession that deals with analysing the biomechanical dysfunction of the body. The professional who does this is called an Orthotist. An Orthosis is the medical device that is prescribed to assist the body to function more effectively.
The Orthotist will take a history of your complaint, assess your current biomechanics and then prescribe an Orthosis that will assist your complaint. A common example of this might be a patient suffering from foot and/or knee pain. The Orthotist might well prescribe a Foot Orthosis (Insole) to relieve the pain and improve mechanical function.
The Process
Once a Treatment Plan has been established and agreed upon by both patient and clinician, the Orthotist will measure or cast – as required – and convey the prescription to a specialist manufacturer. The Orthosis is made and subsequently then applied to the body, or in a shoe, to assist the patient’s function.
The Orthotist has access to many specialised materials and is used to handling these on a day to day basis. Being aware of material capabilities enables him to select the most appropriate material and Orthosis for the patient’s needs.
Orthotics encompasses both neuro-muscular and muscular-skeletal problems suffered by patients. The patient may require support to any segment of the body which suffers from a mechanical dysfunction, such as the foot, knee or back for example. The Orthosis is sometimes referred to as a surgical appliance.
