Orthoses

Question 1

What is a corset?

What is it used for?

Answer 1

A spinal orthoses that is constructed with fabric and may have metal uprights to provide abdominal compression and support in order to relieve pain with mid and low back pathologies

Question 2

What is a halo vest orthosis?

What is it used for?

Answer 2

an invasive cervical thoracic orthosis that provides full restriction of all cervical motion by securing four metal posts to a ring around the patient’s skull

commonly used with cervical spinal cord injuries to prevent further damager dislocation during the recovery period

will be used until the spine becomes stable

Question 3

What is a Milwaukee Orthosis?

What is it used for?

Answer 3

a custom made spinal orthosis which extends from the pelvis to the upper chest

used to promote realignment of the spine due to scoliotic curvature

Question 4

What is a Taylor Brace?

Answer 4

a thoracolumbosacral orthosis that limits trunk flexion and extension through a three-point control design

Question 5

What is a thoracolumbosacral Orthosis (TLSO)?

Answer 5

a custom molded spinal orthosis that is typically used post-surgical stabilization to prevent all spinal/trunk motion

Question 6

What is a foot orthosis?

Answer 6

a semirigid or rigid insert worn inside a shoe that corrects foot alignment and improves function or relieves pain

Question 7

What is the purpose of using a solid ankle-foot orthosis?

Answer 7

To limit both dorsiflexion and plantarflexion as well as inversion/eversion

Usually cast to keep the foot at 90 degree neutral position but can be made with an articulating ankle joint that allows the tibia to advance over the foot during mid to late stance phase of gait

Question 8

What is a posterior leaf spring ankle-foot orthosis?

Answer 8

A AFO that is designed to help assist with dorsiflexion and prevent foot drop that has a trim line posterior to the malleoli

requires adequate medial/lateral control by the patient

Question 9

How does a floor reaction AFO assist with knee extension?

Answer 9

assists with knee extension during stance through positioning of a calf band and/or positioning at the ankle

Question 10

What is the purpose of a knee-ankle-foot orthosis?

Answer 10

provide support and stability to the knee and ankle

Question 11

What is a Craig-Scott Knee-ankle-foot orthosis?

Answer 11

A KAFO designed specifically for paraplegic patients which allows a person to stand with a posterior lean of the trunk

Question 12

What is a hip-knee-ankle-foot orthosis?

Answer 12

A lower extremity orthosis that provides support to the entire extremity and can control rotation of the hip and abduction/adduction, usually only indicated for patients with total lower extremity weakness

orthosis is heavy and restricts patients to a swing-to or a swing-through gait pattern

Question 13

What is a reciprocating gait orthosis?

Answer 13

A type of HKAFO that uses a cable system to assist the advancement of the limb in order to attempt to normalize a patient’s gait pattern

Mainly used for paraplegic patients

Question 14

What is a Parapodium?

Answer 14

a standing frame that allows the patient to sit when necessary

ambulation is achieved by shifting weight and rocking the base across the floor

used primarily by pediatric population

Question 15

What is a heel wedge shoe modification used for?

Answer 15

applied to medial heel to prevent excessive hindfoot eversion or to lateral heel to prevent excessive hindfoot inversion

can also be used to help with symptoms associated with pes cavus/planus

Question 16

What is a heel lift shoe modification used for?

Answer 16

a rigid insert that is used to alleviate pressure on Achilles tendon for post-op repair or for Achilles Tendonitis and can also assist patient’s with true leg length discrepancy

Question 17

What is a heel cushion shoe modification used for?

Answer 17

used to cushion the heel to alleviate pain in the area for patients with plantar fasciitis or a calcaneal spur

Question 18

What is a heel cup shoe modification?

What is it used for?

Answer 18

A rigid insert on the plantar surface of the calcaneus and extends upwards on all three sides to keep the calcaneus in a neutral position

used to alleviate symptoms of calcaneal spurs or plantar fasciitis

Question 19

What is a Metatarsal bar/pad shoe modification?

What is it used for?

Answer 19

a flat piece of padding that is placed just posterior to the metatarsal heads on either the outside of the sole (bar) or the inside (pad)

Helps alleviate pain from metatarsalgia by transferring pressure from the head to the shaft of the metatarsal

Question 20

What is a rocker bar shoe modification?

What is it used for?

Answer 20

A convex strip of padding placed on the inside of the sole just posterior to the metatarsal head

Assists patients who have difficulty in terminal stance due to poor foot mobility, especially that of the great toe, and can also help alleviate pain in metatarsal head region by dispersing force in the area