O&P Awareness Committee: Joining Together to Attract Future Practitioners
By Judith Otto
Does the general public-including potentialstudents-know we exist? Although "we're not as invisible aswe were 15 years ago," as John Michael, MEd, CPO, FISPO, FAAOP,observed, the majority of people have still never heard of theorthotics and prosth...
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Attracting Future Practitioners: UT Southwestern
By Judith Otto
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, ispushing public awareness with an outreach program that casts itsO&P alumni as ambassadors. Their website, www.utsouthwestern.edu/po , not only definesO&P as an attractive career prospe...
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From the Editor
By Miki Fairley
Educational standards: What sort of a future do you want?
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Physiatry and O&P: A Synergistic Partnership
By Charles Levy, MD
Physiatrists andprosthetist/orthotists have much in common. Both practitioners aremembers of small and somewhat misunderstood specialties, aretrained to care for people with disabilities, and try to improvepatients' function. Practitioners from b...
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Leading EDGE
Marketing to Referral Sources: Strategies That Work
By Joe Sansone
In the "good old days," there werejust a few O&P providers in each market. One simply had to hanga shingle on the wall, and patients would come. Today, however,O&P providers are discovering that they must work harder simplyto keep their heads abov...
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Education Outlook
A Call to Improve Advanced Science Content: Part III
By Edward S. Neumann, PhD, PE, CP
Editor's Note: In the previous articles in thisseries, Dr. Neumann called for a strengthening of advanced sciencecourses in O&P education in seven areas: biomechanical tissuefactors; biomechanical gait factors, physiologic factors,psychophysical f...
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Innovations
Remote Interactive Viewing System Provides Clinical Assistance, Education
By Randall D. Alley, BSc, CP
Until we can discover how to make time stand stillor successfully have ourselves cloned, our ability to see and treatpatients will be limited by the amount of time we have in the dayand our restriction to being in one place at a time. As the head...
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Perspective
Cross-Cultural ‘Co-opetition’ Means Better Business
By Cherie Zeringue, BSME, BSBmE, MBA
In any number of industries in the United States,there is a growing trend towards "co-opetition"-that rare andstratified arena where two companies who would otherwise be incompetition with one another find strength by joining efforts topursue comm...
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Global View
Barr Foundation Treats 13 More Honduran Amputees
Fourteen patients demonstrated their newprostheses designed by TracerCAD during a press event, and 13 newpatients were scanned using the system during a recent BarrFoundation trip to Honduras. Most of the patients were landminesurvivors. The press...
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ACA Meeting Provides Education, Inspiration
By Tonja Randolph
Held July 18-21 in Anaheim, California, the eventbrought together about 600 amputees, legislators, government staffmembers, healthcare providers, and others. The opening ceremonies were a grand event, featuring the actorRobert David Hall as master...
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Profile
Russ Miller, CP
Audubon Orthotic & Prosthetic Services Colorado Springs,Colorado How did you get involved inO&P? I was a therapist in orthopedics and working quite a bit withamputees. Therapists didn't get paid much, so I went back toschool.
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In Search of Tomorrow's O&P Pratitioner
By Judith Otto
The O&P field is not sitting back and wringing its collective hands. Several O&P organizations have joined together to dynamically market the profession to prospective students.
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Spinal Solutions announces the next generation of
orthotics, beginning with its Composite EZStride
AFO . The EZStride is made of an
intimately blended yarn that combines a carbon reinforcing fiber
with a nylon thermoplastic matrix. The composite fabric is tough,
damage-tolerant, and extremely lightweight.
The EZStride uses 66 percent less material and
only contacts the patient on the foot sole and upper calf region,
thus eliminating practically all potential pressure points. It is
lightweight, reduces heat buildup, and is virtually invisible.
The EZStride allows natural gait without
sacrificing strength. This is an excellent orthotic for all
dropfoot patients. With a nice reimbursement and a price of $195,
this orthotic makes good sense for the patient and the
practitioner. For more information, contact:
Spinal Solutions, Inc.
800.922.5155 • fax: 800.813.8139
spinalsolution@mindspring.com
www.spinalsolution.net
The ICEROSS® Transfemoral
liner from Ossur is now available in a new Conical profile
to comfortably fit amputees with conically shaped residual limbs
while providing the necessarily stability and soft tissue control.
The original Transfemoral Standard profile is best suited for
cylindrically shaped limbs.
Built on years of evolving suspension technology, the
ICEROSS Transfemoral liner can be stretched up to
100 percent radially. The conical interior and thin, stretchable
profile are specifically designed to fit the anatomy of the thigh.
All ICEROSS second-generation silicone liners
combine excellent stabilizing qualities with Active Skin Care, a
blend of Aloe Vera and other natural moisturizers for skin
protection and user comfort. The combination of a full-length
Stabilizing Matrix and the ARC™ system (Advanced Rotation
Control) effectively minimizes pistoning and socket rotation.
For more information, contact:
Ossur
Customer Service
800.233.6263 • 949.362.3883
www.ossur.com
South West Ankle Brace , a
leading brand of custom thermo-molded ankle braces for
non-operative management of
posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD), provides orthoses
that are washable, breathable, and give abrasive resistance. The
braces are lighter, less bulky, and provide more support than many
other designs. Besides PTTD, they are effective in treating a wide
spectrum of other conditions.
South West Ankle Braces:
- Stabilize the ankle area, talocalcaneal, midtarsal, and
subtalar joints;
- Create medial and lateral stability;
- Improve mobility and lower-extremity stability; and
- Provide a cost-effective option to surgery.
For more information, contact:
South West Orthopedic Designs LLC
8275 East Bell Road #1169
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480.332.8120 • fax: 480.614.2197
www.pttd.com
The College Park TruPer®
Foot is the first and only multi-axial, dynamic response
foot made just for kids!
Children are demanding on their prostheses and grow fast. Our
unique dual size range allows TruPer to grow with each child.
The TruPer Foot features transverse rotation,
simple endo- or exoskeletal finishing, sandal toe design foot
shell, and a one-year warranty. It accommodates for growth, is
simple to mount, and is customizable to meet the needs of the
individual amputee.
Finally, prosthetists have the opportunity to offer their young,
active patients a foot that can truly accommodate their energetic
lifestyles.
For more information, contact:
College Park Industries
17505 Helro Drive
Fraser, MI 48026
800.728.7950 • 586.294.7950
www.college-park.com
Amfit® introduces the
Stealth , a functional foot orthosis made of a
semi-rigid, carbon fiber composite to complement Amfit's full line
of EVA orthoses.
Foot casts are recorded digitally with the Amfit Footfax™
SL Contact Digitizer or from the Footprinter™ foam box and
sent to the Amfit central fabrication facility. The Amfit CAD/CAM
mill is used to carve a first-generation positive model of the
plantar surface of the foot from a rigid foam block. A shell is
vacuum-formed from the carbon fiber composite and finished with an
EVA-posted heel and a full or three-quarters length black poron
topping material. Positive blocks and a Stealth Starter
Kit are available from Amfit.
For more information, contact:
Amfit Inc.
2850 Bowers Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95051
408.986.1232 • 800.356.3668
www.amfit.com
New Options Sports presents its complete
Pediatric KidStuff™ product line featuring
the PK64 KneeMate hinged knee support. Indications for use are
anterior/posterior cruciate instability, medial/lateral collateral
instability, and post-operative management. Features include 1/8"
neoprene available in 14 colors, large popliteal opening, two
adjustable loop and lock straps with easy open pull tabs, and
hyperextension lock hinges.
PEDI Sizes: XS up to 2XL will fit knee circumferences measuring
from 6"-12". PEDI custom braces are also available for children
with smaller or larger measurements.
For more information, contact:
New Options Sports
6718 Oakbrook Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75235
800.872.5488 • fax: 800.455.5488
newoptionssports@hotmail.com
OPTEC introduces the new Total Control
(TLC) Hip Management System ,
a complete, interchangeable modular system with unlimited
adjustability for enhanced patient comfort.
The T L C Hip Management System
features:
- Modular Pelvic Band -available in
universal, unilateral, or bilateral design, which can be custom-fit
to the right side, left side, or both sides, thereby reducing
inventory;
- Universal Pelvic Band -offers
circumferential and vertical adjustment for the various body types,
including male and female adaptability;
- Modular Thigh Cuff -anatomically
designed for superior support and fit;
- Available in four sizes -small, medium,
large, and extra-large.
The T L C Hip Management System is
complemented by their versatile Universal THC™ Hip
Abduction Joint for a full range of motion control.
OPTEC now offers two new thoracic support designs in the
Pectoral Pad Kit (PPK) and the Sternal Pad
Kit (SPK) . Both feature the practical sliding bar for
quick and easy adjustments above the xyphoid. Both are securely
mounted just below the xyphoid and do not slide inferiorly onto the
abdominal region.
The PPK incorporates innovative pectoral pads
with adjustable silicone swivels that provide balanced support and
fit comfortably below the clavicle. The PPK is
recommended for patients requiring thoracic support and yet who
cannot tolerate direct pressure on the sternum.
The SPK's hinged sternal assembly conforms to
your patient's sternum, providing enhanced comfort and support.
Both the PPK and SPK are
available as an option on custom and stock TLSOs or can be ordered
separately.
For more information, contact:
OPTEC
Customer Service
888.982.8181 • 770.513.7380
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