The O&P EDGE issues often revolve around a theme related to a particular area of O&P practice such as lower-limb care, pediatrics, or upper-limb care. But there are topics worthy of discussion that don’t fit neatly in these categories, and in this edition, we bring you some of them.
Phantom limb pain is a condition so common that it presents a challenge across all levels of prosthetic care—in fact, many people with amputations find that it is the pain rather than the amputation that causes the greater disability and impact on their quality of life. Despite this, its complexity has made phantom limb pain notoriously difficult to treat. There are new surgical and mechanical developments that show promise in treating this condition, which are discussed in our first feature, “New Approaches to Conquering Phantom Limb Pain and Restoring Sensation.”
While not unique to O&P, clinicians’ ideas about disability can influence the way they provide care and view their patients. “Ways of Understanding Disability” discusses the biopsychosocial model of
disability and how O&P practitioners can use this model in practical ways in their approach to patient care.
As digital tools have become more accessible, both in terms of cost and in their usability for the average clinician or technician without specialized training, more practices are incorporating the technology into their workflow. However, there are still some obstacles to fully embracing scanning and 3D printing and considerations about when these methods are the most appropriate. Our final feature, “To Scan or Not to Scan,” explores these issues.
Happy reading.
Andrea Spridgen
