Image from ChoosePT Physical therapists play a key role in orthotics and prosthetics rehabilitation. As movement experts, PTs are vital to maximizing a person’s function and are key members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.1 PTs work in concert with Certified Prosthetists Orthotists and Physiatrists to meet our clients’ O&P needs from evaluation/prescription to training & […]
Are you or your client experiencing chronic knee pain interfering with daily living? The likely culprit is arthritis courtesy good ole wear and tear. This post explores non-invasive O&P rehabilitation strategies for unicompartmental osteoarthritis.
Skin, our largest organ spanning a surface area of 1.5 to 2.0 square meters, serves a vital role for our bodies.1 The integumentary system makes up our body’s outer layer comprised of our skin, hair, nails, glands, blood vessels and nerves.2 It serves to protect internal structures, maintain homeostasis through body temperature regulation & other […]
To honor this educational health incentive, The O&P PT will be addressing stroke awareness and the role of ankle foot orthoses in rehabilitation. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke and approximately 1 in 4 of those individuals will have a recurrent stroke.1 This interruption of blood flow to the brain […]
My students ask what I enjoy most about working in/teaching O&P rehabilitation and my resounding answer is always: learning. This is a fascinating field filled with hard-working, education-seeking individuals, compassionate, dedicated clinicians, and evolving technology. Every corner you turn is an opportunity to learn more and grow. To me, this is exhilarating! I can truly […]
While there is something alluring about the concept of the lone wolf, it cannot compare to the sophisticated and harmonious network of a pack. Efficient, mutually beneficial, led at the front by wisdom of experience and supported by strength. This carries to humankind. Support Groups Support groups have a long history in our society with […]
For over 100 years, Patriots Day has been more than a day to commemorate the 1775 Battles of Lexington & Concord, it has marked the day of the Boston Marathon (save for 2020 & 2021 courtesy the coronavirus pandemic).1,2 A 26.2 mile course traversing 8 towns and cities, commencing in one of my favorite parts […]
There are many factors that contribute to the high energy cost of prosthetic gait. Less muscle mass, shorter lever arms and changes to the vascular system are a few of the intrinsic factors leading to excessive energy expenditure.1 Compensations to combat this start off small and lead to bigger problems. Overuse, muscle imbalance and postural […]
Alignment is essential to efficient prosthetic gait. This is true of the TKA line with prosthetic alignment as it is of our own bodies in relation to the ground. In order for our muscles to work effectively, they must be advantageously positioned to work at their full potential. Tight, short muscles do not have effective […]
Our bodies have ways of adapting to situations to ensure we meet our short term goals. While the path of least resistance may seem like a sure direction at the start, it can often impede us from achieving our long term goals. This can be seen with prosthetic gait deviations. New unilateral prosthetic users often […]