Understanding Over The Counter Orthotics

By Raymond Green


The branch of medicine that is concerned with producing, applying, and designing orthoses is known as Orthotics. Orthosis, the plural of orthoses, refers to any gadget used to modify characteristics of the skeletal system. Usually, they are applied on the outside of the body and modify structural as well as functional systems. Specialists in this field are called orthotists. There are a few subspecialties in this branch of medicine and over the counter orthotics is one of them.

The functions and purposes of orthoses are many and diverse. However, in general, they function to control, immobilize, limit, and/or guide segments of the body, joints, and extremities. They can restrict or assist body organs to move in a specific direction. They can also be used to decrease the level of weight an organ is required to bear from the body. This is particularly important in rehabilitation of an organ from injury. This application is more predominant in lower limbs, which bear most of the weight from the body.

Pain reduction is also a major reason for which Orthotists apply orthoses on patients. An organ may lose shape due to a disease process, accident, or natural causes. In some cases, orthoses are attached to organs that have lost shape in order to recover shape. People with certain conditions often have their lives made easier through the application of orthoses. The devices also promote independence of patients by enhancing mobility.

Manufacturing orthoses derives knowledge from different fields of study. Engineering, Pathophysiology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Biomechanics are examples of fields of study from which knowledge is drawn. Similarly, production involves different types of technologies including 3D printing and Plaster or Paris and machines such as CAD and CNC. Precision is very important in this field and it is why sophisticated technology and machines are used.

Various materials are used in the productions of these devices. Among the materials used often are carbon fiber, EVA, metals, and elastic. An orthosis may comprise of various components manufactured from different materials. Since the adoption of plastic as a better material, it has become the most commonly used material today. The invention of Plaster of Paris technique has made plastics even more widely adopted.

Various designs of orthoses can be acquired simply from local retailers. However, there are more specialized designs that need to be designed and fitted by qualified orthotists. Over the counter orthoses vary a lot in various factors such as size, method of installation, quality, material, and other properties. They may be slid or strapped around the organ they are needed. Such kinds of braces are usually used to protect the wearer from injury.

The kind of anatomical joints contained in an orthosis is based on in classifying these devices. Examples include thoracolumbosacral, clavicular and shoulder, arm, ankle and foot, ankle-foot, arm, knee-ankle-foot, forearm-wrist, elbow, upper extremity, hand, and forearm-wrist-thumb orthoses. People are encouraged to do all descriptions of orthoses using International Standard terminology to avoid barriers encountered in interpreting findings from research.

Orthoses are used by people with different medical conditions. Head injury, fractures, sports injury, strokes, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy are among the conditions for which the devices may be used. Athletes often use orthoses in optimizing performance in sports.




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