Whether used short-term or long-term, orthotics empower patients to regain independence and improve overall quality of life.
If you or a loved one has suffered from chronic conditions, limb loss, injuries or illnesses that have limited your mobility, you may have questions about the process of limb correction and assistive devices to support mobility and independence.
Orthotics are supportive devices designed to assist with improving limb function, accommodating abnormal movement patterns and correcting musculoskeletal alignment. Orthotics assist with movement in areas such as the foot, ankles, knees and spine, to alleviate pain or discomfort.
Conditions such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, muscular sclerosis, brain injury, stroke and other complex disabilities are conditions that you can recover from with inpatient rehabilitation and assistive devices such as prosthetics and orthotics.
“There are several different types of orthotics available to assists patients,” said Corrine Fritcher, a physical therapist at Encompass Health Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation Hospital. “These range from diabetic shoes to custom inserts that a podiatrist may prescribe an individual with diabetes. These custom-made devices assist with multiple muscle groups to aid alignment and mobility. Even small improvements in alignment with an orthotic can lead to vast improvements in gait mobility.”
What are the types of orthotics?
Types of orthotics typically fall in two categories:
- Functional orthotics: Custom-made shoe inserts designed to support foot alignment and mobility.
- Accommodative orthotics: Over-the-counter devices that support limb, positioning and improved mobility.
In these three categories are also different orthotics to support the different parts of the body affecting your mobility. They include:
- Ankle-foot-orthotics: Support individuals with footdrop, by supporting both the foot and ankle to help control the range of motion and the ankle joint
- Knee-ankle-orthotics: Support lover extremity control (knee and ankle) offloading pressure and helping individuals to move independently
- Hip-knee-ankle-foot-orthotics: LProvide support to the hip, knee, ankle and foot for individuals with significant lower limb weakness or paralysis
“Ankle foot orthotics are commonly prescribed to an individual following a central nerve injury such as a stroke or peripheral nerve injury — where a specific nerve has been damaged in an accident,” Fritcher said. “There are several custom-made and off-the-shelf ankle-foot-orthotics that assist with lifting the foot correctly, allowing an individual to be able to take quality steps, return to walking safely and increase independence.”
Knee-ankle-foot and hip-knee-ankle-foot orthotics are more commonly used in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury or significant muscle weakness due to neuromuscular diseases. These devices are prescribed and custom-made to optimize safe mobility.
Why orthotics matter in rehabilitation
After a serious illness or injury, your doctor may recommend inpatient rehabilitation to help you get back to everyday activities and live independently. If your mobility has been impacted, a physical therapist could recommend orthotics. Orthotics provide a range of benefits. They pay a vital role in rehabilitation and recovery. They help:
- Manage positioning for improved safety with transfers and ambulation
- Prevent further deterioration from disuse of muscles
- Support healing and tissue protection
- Improve mobility and independence
Orthotics can empower you to increase mobility and independence when used temporarily during inpatient rehabilitation or long-term.
Whether helping someone walk again after a stroke or supporting mobility for those with chronic conditions, orthotics can play a critical role in your care at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital. In this setting, physical and occupational therapists will work together to train you in using the proper devices to help you regain as much mobility as possible.
Your care team also includes rehabilitation doctors and nurses to tend to your medical needs, as well as a case manager, who can help ensure you have the devices you need when it’s time to return to your community.