O - Foot Orthoses Principles Flashcards
what is a biomechanical orthosis
any device capable of controlling motion path in the foot/leg by maintaining the foot in or close to its neutral subtalar position
not trying to lock the foot at any point
want to help it move more efficiently
what are 5 characteristics of biomechanical orthoses
- conform to all contours of foot
- sufficiently rigid to maintain its contours and angular relationships
- control abnormal/excess motion and allow normal motion
- reasonably comfortable w gradually inc wearing time (breaking in period)
- capable of being worked on or adjusted
what are 4 goals of biomechanical orthoses
- minimize abnormal/excess motion
- encourage healing -> dec load on soft tissues and joints
- dec inflammation
- improve motion (normal mvmt patterns)
what are the 3 main components of biomechanical orthoses
shell/module
posts
top covers
what is the shell/module
off-weight neutral cast which conforms to plantar contours
what is the part of the biomechanical orthosis that will be fabricated
shell/module
via plaster cast, foam box, scanning
where is the shell/module on biomechanical orthoses
begins at heel and extends just prox to MT heads
what are 2 types of material that the shell/module can be made of and why
rigid - carbon graphite, polyethylene
* controls motion
soft - foam
* absorbs shock
depends on what the patient needs
what are posts and where are they placed
fills space created by a deformity and brings ground up to the foot so the foot can function better w/o going thru excessive amts of motion
placed at WB-ing sites (calcaneus, MTs)
* varus = medial wedge
* valgus = lateral wedge
what are the 2 main functions of the posts
stabilize the shell
provide motion control in frontal plane
what are the 2 main types of posts
extrinsic and intrinsic
doesn’t have to be one or the other, can be a mix in the orthosis
what type of post is the most common
extrinsic
what are extrinsic posts?
pros and cons
material added to plantar surface of shell
pros:
* easy to adjust
* excellent strength (can use different materials from shell)
cons:
* adds additional bulk in shoe
extrinsic posts
what is a bias
extrinsic post but made of softer material
* see in pts w hypopronated feet, looking for material to be a little softer
what are intrinsic posts?
pros and cons
positive plaster model of foot is modified to embody deformity and shell assumes the shape
pros:
* less bulk in shoe - shell assuming shape of deformity
cons:
* difficult to adjust (once it’s made, it’s made)
* material of shell determine strength (same material as the post)
extrinsic bar post vs single tip
bar post = goes all the way across
single tip = one side
what is the top cover
covers the dorsal surface of shell and is in contact w the pt
what are the 2 main functions of top covers
comfort
durability
what are the varying lengths the top cover could be
extends to MT heads, to the sulcus, or to toes
depending on pt comfort
why does mr jim prefer full length top covers
can trim it to what you want
* shifts less than the shorter ones
* could also be more comfortable depending on how sensitive the pt is
what are 4 examples of additions to orthoses
deep heel seat
1st ray cut out
flanges/clips
padding
additions: deep heel seat
what is it
function
con
normal is 6-8mm, deep is 12+mm
* deeper = wider
controls calcaneal position
* control excessive amts of calcaneal eversion
con - bulk in shoe
pedi pop could likely tolerate this the best, more aggressive of an intervention
additions: 1st ray cut out
what is it/who is it for
- rigid PF 1st ray - cut out to compensate for that
- flexible PF 1st ray - accomodate for this for MTP joint integ, hallux DF ROM
additions: 1st ray cut out
what is a 2-5 bar post and what is a con to this
allows 1st ray to stay in down position
* does same thing as the cut out
bar post is more bulky bc added material