Meeting the Challenge of Multiple Limb Loss - December 2017
Feature
The New Normal: Meeting the Challenge of Multiple Limb Loss
By Betta Ferrendelli
By all accounts Sue Stull should have died August 12, 2014 . Stull, then 41, was experiencing flu-like symptoms Wednesday evening, August 6, including a sore throat and soreness all over her body, particularly in her neck. She continued to feel il...
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Will Rising Tides Improve Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis Patients?
By Phil Stevens, MEd, CPO, FAAOP
The phrase "a rising tide raises all boats," with economic implications, was first introduced to the nation by President John F. Kennedy, and made even more popular by President Ronald Reagan. However, the implicit message of the phrase resonates...
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Healthcare Issues Take Center Stage in Congress
By Peter W. Thomas, JD; Leela Baggett, JD; and Leif Brierley, MPH
Throughout the last half of 2017 there have been extensive debates on healthcare issues, from massive reforms like repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to O&P-specific legislation such as the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetic...
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Academy Society Spotlight: Gait-optimized AFO Selection
By David Knapp, CPO
Custom-fitted carbon fiber AFOs are commonly prescribed for foot drop and transmetatarsal amputations. The application for foot drop addresses weakness of the dorsiflexors during swing phase, while transmetatarsal amputation requires accommodating...
More...Stepping Out
Conducting a Biomechanical Evaluation, Part I
By Séamus Kennedy, BEng (Mech), CPed
" You know my methods, Watson. There was not one of them which I did not apply to the inquiry. And it ended by my discovering traces, but very different ones from those which I had expected." —The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan D...
More...Better Business
Data-driven Growth Strategies for O&P Practices
By Ryan Ball
Many O&P professionals and practice owners I talk to don't have a sales team; most don't like making sales visits or calls, and virtually all say they don't have the time to do more business development. As competition between post-acute healt...
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Fabricating a Crow Boot With a Toe Filler
By Travis Petersen, BOCP, COA
A patient who has a transmetatarsal amputation and severe inversion supination on the affected foot came into the office for a CROW boot (Figure 1). He was wearing a soft dressing and it looked as though he was walking on a softball. We determined...
More...Perspective
PT and Podiatry Resident Education in O&P
By Matt Calendrillo, DPT, BOCO, BOCP
My dual training as a physical therapist and as a prosthetist/orthotist has given me the ability to see patients through two overlapping lenses. In 2010, I was contacted by my alma mater, Springfield College, to spearhead a curriculum change in it...
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Got FAQs?
By Lisa Lake
Billing for O&P devices seems to get more complicated by the day. Count on Got FAQs? to help answer your toughest questions.
More...Letter to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Standout September Issue
Our team always looks forward to receiving The O&P EDGE. Your September issue was a standout for us, with John Brinkmann's article "How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse." We are becoming more strategic with our clinical referral strategies, and it'...
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Rising Tides Lift All Boats
By Andrea Spridgen
For many, the end of the year is a time to reflect on the joys and challenges of the previous months and pause to celebrate the triumphs and assess the trials that we've experienced. With that in mind, this issue of The O&P EDGE provides an...
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Christine Lentz: Living a Full Life With Multiple Limb Loss
Thanks to medical advancements, more people are surviving infections such as meningococcal septicaemia and necrotizing fasciitis, but survival can come with multiple loss. An article in the December issue of The O&P EDGE, “The New Normal: Meeting...
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Carbon Braid and OP-TEK® Flex Comfort combine strength and comfort to make a great team for your patients. Carbon Braid is stocked for immediate delivery and available in three weights: 12K standard, 6K lightweight, and 3K ultra-lightweight.
The new line of lamination adapters are made from high-strength, lightweight titanium or stainless steel. New products include three- and four-prong anchors with a variety of adapters and a four-ear socket adapter. The versatile designs are easy to use with both thermoplastic and laminated sockets and a one- or two-stage lamination process. Designed and manufactured by College Park in the United States, the entire line of endo components are engineered with premium materials and special noise-abatement features for superior outcomes and peace of mind. View all lamination kit options and order online at 
Many complications can cause reduced mobility in the hand, which can result in contractures if left untreated. Starting hand therapy at an early stage, before spasticity is established, may help to maintain or increase mobility of the hand. Smooth and lightweight, the SOT Resting Orthosis has an aluminum core that allows adjustment to the desired resting position. A good biomechanical position may reduce the risk of flexor shortening in the wrist and fingers. The soft, elastic cover eliminates pressure points from bulky straps. For more information, contact customer service or email 
The Triple Action™ Stance/Swing Control Ankle Joint is designed to provide highly adjustable control of the lower limb during both the stance and swing phases of gait. The patent-pending component excels in the treatment of complex neuromuscular disorders. Alignment, plantarflexion resist, and dorsiflexion resist are independently adjustable, which help to simplify optimization. The component delivers high resistance, permitting mobilization of the ankle through both the stance and swing phases of gait.
The L1324 is not the friction braking knee of old. This geometrically aligned system never fails in stability. The L1324 is a polycentric manual locking knee with stance flexion. Elegantly simplistic design for stability. With correct alignment, the knee is always in a stable position for patient confidence.
This unique AFO has been designed for people with Chopart amputations who wish to remain active. A traditional, full-length AFO will often be stiff and feel unnatural to such a patient. Using a hinged ankle and flexible foot plate with a segmented dynamic filler allows flexion before providing a "stop" that protects the residuum and prevents shoe vamp collapse. The PTB design and the anterior shell redistribute ground reaction forces up the lower limb. For more information, visit our website or call the lab toll-free.
Fabtech Systems and Extremiti 3D are happy to announce a new strategic partnership with the goal of providing the highest quality 3D-printed prosthetic devices to the O&P profession. Products provided include protective covers and transtibial and transfemoral sockets.
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