One of my favorite movies is "The Wizard of Oz". A scene that always sticks out to me is when Dorothy, Tin Man and Scarecrow are going through the woods and discussing what they might encounter. Who can forget the following line, "Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!" For new amputees headed into the woods of facing limb loss, on to...
Wearing a prosthetic or orthotic device on a daily basis is a reality for a lot of people.Living in Florida, the problem of moisture, sand and perspiration can wreak havoc on any device. When you rely on that device for mobility, it becomes a priority to keep things clean and in working order. The purpose of this post is to give some ti...
Amputation surgery and recovering from limb loss is life altering. Simple things that were once accomplished with little thought and effort, can be overwhelming challenges at first. Overcoming the countless amounts of changes can disheartening and can often lead to depressive symptoms. It is important to not lose hope and focus the on opportunities...
As a practitioner in the field for 26 years, I always see patient's that try to compare themselves to "how other people are doing". I guess it is human nature to have some measure of how they are progressing. My response is always the same.Walking with a prosthesis is a physical activity, and no two people respond in the same way. It is a bad idea ...
For Treating Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD), Pes Plano-Valgus, ie, "Flat Feet" and "Over-Pronation" When I am evaluating a patient for AFOs (ankle-foot orthoses) I always take the time educating him or her about appropriate footwear to use with the braces, as obtaining appropriate footwear is usually a patient's responsibility. Th...
The field of Orthotics and Prosthetics has a strange business model.Orthotic and prosthetic practitioners cannot and do not bill for their time. To some, that may come as a surprise. The truth is, the only thing we can bill for (most often to insurance) is for the orthotic or prosthetic device "delivered" to the patient. While some orthotic devices...
