If this is your first appointment at our office...
Please arrive 15 minutes early in order to fill out necessary paperwork, and be oriented to our office. Please feel free to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have regarding your treatment with your Orthotist.
This appointment provides us the opportunity to meet with you and your family and to understand how best we could serve you. Your medical history, previous orthotic treatments, along with your present needs will provide insight. Your child may require some time to gain trust, and to cooperate.
If you are returning to us for a new Orthosis, this appointment will provide the opportunity to discuss changes in your needs, and your preferences in terms of the design and function of your orthosis. Please bring any previous Orthosis you may have used with you to this appointment, along with a prescription if you have been given one by your doctor.
During this appointment we will provide a Clinical assessment as well as a Gait assessment if it is appropriate. We may capture a shape of the part of your body that requires support or correction, along with measurements in order to fabricate a custom Orthosis for you. You will be provided with an estimate for the appropriate Orthotic Treatment and funding options will be discussed.
Patient Assessment
Gait Assessment
Gait Analysis
The First Appointment
This appointment will involve Shape Capturing of the part of your body requiring Orthotic Treatment. Casting tape or plaster bandage may be applied to take a mold of the part of your body requiring orthotic management.
Your Orthotist will wet the casting tape in warm water and then start wrapping the material around your limb. This must be done in a manner that allows ideal conditions to capture an optimal alignment. The Orthotist will place you in an ideal position by aligning your joints and sculpting your shape. Once the mold has set, the Orthotist will carefully remove the cast in a safe manner. At this time you'll also be able to pick out your custom colour and pattern for your Orthosis.
Obtaining Custom Mold
Positioning to achieve the correct alignment
Preparing to remove the mold
Modification of the Patient Mold
When the negative mold has set, it is ready to be filled with liquid plaster with a mandrel placed in the centre . This provides us with a positive mold or a duplicate of your limb. Your Orthotist modifies your mold with care, referring to the clinical and gait assessments as well as measurements to ensure that your Orthosis will be optimal. Once the cast is smoothed and dried, it will be set up for molding with the designated plastic and other components as specified.
The plastic will be heated up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and decorated with your chosen pattern design and vacuum formed onto the modified cast. When the plastic has completely cooled and set, it will be cut off of the cast and trimmed and smoothed to the designated trimlines. All padding and straps will be prepared along with the trimmed plastic shell in order to become your special Orthosis on the day of your appointment.
Modifying the mold
Providing intimate support
Fabrication Process
Our Technicians will place a sheet of plastic (different types depending on the orthotic device) into an oven to heat it up before placing the hot plastic on the mold and quickly creating a vacuum seal to ensure the plastic shapes itself to the exact outline of the mold.
Once the plastic has cooled down, our Technician will trim the Orthosis to specifications of your Orthosis Worksheet once the Orthosis is removed from the mold. Our Technician will smooth down the plastic using various grinding machines and then custom padding and straps will be set aside. The Orthotist carefully reviews the work and makes further modifications. It is now ready to be finalized to you!
Fabricating the Orthosis with molded plastic
Grinding and smoothing to achieve trimlines
Final touches to the Orthosis
Final Appointment to Receive Orthosis
Your Orthotist finalizes your Orthosis and spends some time making sure that it is comfortable and providing optimum function and support. You will walk with the Orthosis and gait video will be taken to compare your gait with and without the brace. At this time your Orthotist will make any final adjustments to fine tune your Orthosis if necessary, and demonstrate by comparison in the gait analysis the improved qualities of your gait.
We will instruct you on the proper use and care of your Orthosis and when to contact us for adjustments or maintenance and clinical follow-up during the treatment period.
Final adjustments to Orthosis
Gait analysis and instructions on use of the Orthosis
