Orthotic Products
Mobility, support, relief. These are the key goals for our orthotic products and resources. Our primary objective begins with your personal goals. Do you want to relieve pain? Looking for the support you need to keep moving, or find more freedom of movement? Are you treating an illness or injury?
All patients start with an in-depth initial evaluation to determine the most appropriate orthosis to meet both the patient and healthcare team goals. Our Orthotists are highly trained and certified to provide either a custom-made or custom-fit device to meet your needs.
We provide a wide range of orthotics to treat pediatrics, upper and lower extremities, spinal, sports injuries and neuromuscular disorders.
View AFO PDF
The leather ankle gauntlet AFO extends from the lower third of the calf down to and including the foot. It is a custom-molded ankle-foot orthosis designed to provide support and control of the foot and ankle. The orthosis is constructed of thermoplastic and leather and is to be used with a shoe with either laces or Velcro closures.
The leather ankle gauntlet AFO is used as conservative (non-operative) management of various foot and ankle conditions. Common conditions being managed by this AFO are posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD), ankle osteoarthritis, chronic ankle pain.
Is a dynamic bracing system with a unique posterior pivot and unique ankle joint designed to treat Pediatric Orthopedic leg problems. Custom fabricated from individual patient models. This is a patented system that can effectively manage Blount’s Disease and other pediatric leg deformities without locking the knee and in many cases eliminate the need for surgery. It may be worn 24/7 and does not interfere with normal ambulation.
A CAM Walker is a walking boot that limits the movement of the ankle and or foot. An adjustable ankle joint can be set to restrict movement or allow a set amount of movement to occur. A CAM Walker may be prescribed for a severe sprain or after cast removal. It is made of a one-piece foam liner attached to double aluminum uprights.
Carbon Fiber is extremely lightweight, and durable. This style of AFO is intended to support a foot with impaired ability to actively dorsiflex. They are also intended to assist when the ability to perform push off is reduced.
Carbon Fiber AFO’s are designed to manage footdrop in conditions such as Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Post Polio Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, Spinal Cord Injuries, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, Myelomeningocele, Neuropathy or Cerebral Palsy.
A cervical collar (also neck brace) is an orthopedic medical device used to support a patient's neck and head. It is used for cervical fracture to treat chronic medical conditions.
Types of cervical collars:
Soft Collar - is fairly flexible and is the least limiting but can carry a high risk of further breakage, especially in patients with osteoporosis. It can be used for minor injuries or after healing has allowed the neck to become more stable.
Rigid Collars - usually comprising (a) a firm plastic bi-valved shell secured with Velcro straps and (b) removable padded liners. The most frequently prescribed are the Aspen, Malibu, MiamiJ, and Philadelphia collars. All these can be used with additional chest and head extension pieces to increase stability.
CROW is an acronym for Charcot Restraint Orthotic Walker. This orthosis is prescribed for patients who have foot ulcers or insensate feet (can’t feel). This is an orthosis that is clamshell in design and covers the entire foot and calf of the leg, resembling a ski boot. While it is somewhat big and bulky, the CROW gives tremendous support by preventing foot and ankle movement. It is fully padded on the inside. A shoe is not worn with this orthosis.
Compression hose are used to encourage proper circulation and reduce swelling in the legs. They may be prescribed for painful, achy legs, edema, varicose veins, and lymphodema. There are varying degrees of compression that are used depending on the type of problem being treated. The doctor will determine the amount of compression needed.
Compression hose may be prescribed to cover only the ankle and calf or may cover the entire leg. There are also different types of compression hose. Gradient compression hose are woven to apply greater pressure in the ankle than the calf. Ted Hose have minimal compression and are generally used on patients that are bed ridden or are not frequently up on their feet.
A splint consisting of a pair of metal foot splints joined by a cross bar; used in talipes equinovarus.
Extra depth footwear is an important part of diabetic treatment. It is especially important if you have loss of sensation or peripheral neuropathy. Correct fit and the correct type of footwear are crucial to prevent or reduce calluses and diabetic ulcers, and to prevent amputations.
People who suffer from peripheral neuropathy may fit themselves too narrow or too short because of loss of protective sensation. This makes it very important to be fit for your shoes by a pedorthist who is trained to fit you properly.
Extra depth footwear is designed to relieve areas that cause excessive pressure such as hammertoes, bunions, and extreme foot shapes. They are able to accommodate, stabilize and support deformities. They have seamless and deeper toe boxes as well as different lasts or shapes to fit different shapes of feet. Because of their adjustability, they are available in many sizes and widths in order to achieve a proper fit.
For feet that cannot be fit in off the shelf shoes, custom fabricated shoes can be ordered that are made from a mold of your feet.
EO is an acronym for Elbow Orthosis and WHO is an acronym for Wrist-Hand Orthosis. An EO or WHO is used for a variety of conditions. It can be used for positioning/stabilization, for range of motion assistance, or to stop a joint from flexing or extending excessively. It can also be used for fracture management. Materials can include canvas, metal, and low temperature thermoplastics. The physician determines use of the device. It may be worn all day or for nighttime use only.
Type of Elbow Orthosis (EO)
Type of Wrist Hand Orthosis (WHO)
An AFO is a device that supports the ankle and foot area of the body and extends from below the knee down to and including the foot. This device is used to control instabilities in the lower limb by maintaining proper alignment and controlling motion. A floor (ground) reaction AFO (FRAFO or GRAFO) is a custom fabricated, molded plastic device.
There are several designs of FRAFO’s:
1. One piece: encloses the back of the lower calf, the shin, and bottom of the foot
2. Two piece: same as the one piece but has a removable anterior (front) panel
3. Rear-opening: encloses the front of the leg and top of the foot. May be articulated.
A floor reaction AFO is generally used with patients affected by neurological conditions such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and post-polio paralysis. In these cases, the floor reaction AFO functions to maintain the affected joints in proper alignment, to accentuate knee extension at midstance, and compensate for weak or absent gastroc-soleus (calf) muscles. A floor reaction AFO places the extension force closer to the knee than other AFO’s and uses a rigid anterior shell with padding.
A foot orthosis is used to support the foot, help apply pressure to appropriate areas and encourage appropriate gait. A foot orthosis may be prescribed to accommodate a misshapen or deformed foot and help to relieve areas of pressure. Foot orthoses are generally fabricated from firm plastics or semi- rigid material such as crepe, laminates and or composites and various density foams.
A hip abduction orthosis is a brace that is typically used following a revision of a hip replacement or after a hip dislocation. It is used to help prevent excessive flexion or extension (forward and backward movement) of the hip and to limit adduction (it keeps the legs from moving together). The brace holds the femur (thigh) in the hip socket, allowing proper healing to take place. The brace should be worn 24 hours a day unless otherwise instructed.
The Humeral Fracture Brace is a protective device worn on the upper arm to aid in healing and alignment of the injured bone.
The term KAFO is an acronym that stands for Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis and describes the part of the body that this device encompasses. This device extends from the thigh to the foot and is generally used to control instabilities in the lower limb by maintaining alignment and controlling motion. Instabilities can be either due to skeletal problems: broken bones, arthritic joints, bowleg, knock-knee, knee hyperextension or muscular weakness and paralysis. With this in mind, the indications for the use of a KAFO are many and varied and any one particular design is specific to the needs of the person it is made for.
There are two very general categories of KAFOs: Metal designs and plastic and metal designs. The metal design consists of a metal structure shaped to the limb and upholstered with leather at the points where the device makes contact with a person’s body. This is the more traditional of the two designs. The plastic and metal design is the one most frequently encountered today and is usually a plastic device custom molded to the person’s body with metal components in key structural areas only. The reason for the increased use of the plastic and metal design is that it is lighter in weight and is considered to be more cosmetic.
Some KAFOs may have drop locks at the knee joint. A drop lock allows the knee to be kept in extension or straight while walking and the joints can be unlocked for sitting. Drop locks would be used for someone with severe knee instability.
The term KO is an acronym that stands for Knee Orthosis and describes the part of the body that this device encompasses. This device extends from approximately mid calf to mid thigh level.
There are many categories of KOs: metal and plastic designs. The metal design consists of a metal structure shaped to the limb and upholstered with leather at the points where the device makes contact with a person’s body. The plastic and metal design is the one most frequently encountered today and is usually a plastic device custom molded to the person’s body with metal components in key structural areas only. The reason for the increased use of the plastic and metal design is that it is lighter in weight and is considered to be more cosmetic.
Brand Names we offer: CTI, Generation II, and Don Joy
LSO is the acronym for Lumbar-Sacral Orthosis. This orthosis is frequently a two-piece plastic clamshell design (it may be a single piece that opens in the front or rear) that extends from the pelvis to the middle of the back. It is used to stabilize the spine after surgery or for fractured vertebrae.
The Lumbosacral Support is a corset type orthosis often used to treat low back pain.
Other conditions that may be treated with this type of device include: muscle strain or sprain, post-surgical, maternity, spinal stenosis, spondylosis, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, degenerative joint disease, degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, and osteoarthritis.
An AFO is a brace that supports the ankle and foot area of the body. Support in this area is needed due to muscle weakness or nerve damage. Examples of patients with muscle weakness or nerve damage would be those who have had a stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, etc.
Patients who have pain in the foot and ankle area due to trauma or other reason may benefit from an AFO because the AFO immobilizes that part of the body permitting it to heal. A conventional AFO is usually a double, upright, metal device, with a leather covered band at the calf. The ankle joints may be adjustable to control ankle motion or assist with toe pickup. The joints attach to a metal stirrup that is fastened directly to the shoe, but may be attached to a removable plastic or metal footplate that slides into a shoe. A conventional AFO is often used where swelling of the leg and foot is present or there is a risk of sores on the foot.
A PRAFO® is a device that is worn on the calf and foot similar to a boot and is often used for patients that spend the majority of their time in bed.
One reason for its use is to prevent bedsores or ulcers from developing on the back of the heel. A bedsore or decubitus ulcer is caused by constant pressure on the back of the heel that can occur when lying in one position for prolonged periods of time. A PRAFO® orthosis creates an air space around the back of the heel, alleviating pressure and preventing heel ulcers.
A second reason for the use of a PRAFO® orthosis is to. While lying down, a person usually has the foot pointed downward at the ankle and this is called plantar flexion. This is not a problem for short intervals, but muscle tightness develops when the foot is not ranged upward at the ankle (dorsiflexed). The result is that deformities can develop called contractures.
When a plantar flexion contracture develops, normal range of motion is lost and the person will not be able to flex the foot upwards. If it becomes severe enough, the person will only be able to stand on the forefoot with the heel off of the ground.
The goal of a TLSO for scoliosis treatment is to manage the progression of scoliosis by bending the spine at specific locations identified by the doctor and the orthotist. The brace is made be taking over 25 anatomical measurements and using the x-rays as well as a CAD/CAM system to accurately place “unbending moments” in brace. It is then made of a flexible yet rigid lightweight plastic.
It is important to maintain a healthy diet as well as participate in daily physical exercise. Exercise is key to treatment as it allows the muscles in the spine and core to maintain the correction achieved in the brace. You ultimately want your muscles, tendons, and soft tissue to hold and maintain your spine in good alignment and overall balance without the brace.
SMO is the acronym for Supra-Malleolar Orthosis. The SMO, as with other orthoses, gets its name for the part of the body for which it encompasses. This orthosis supports the leg just above the anklebones or malleoli. The SMO is considered the shortest of the Ankle Foot Orthoses or AFO's.
The SMO is prescribed for patients who have soft, flexible, flat feet. SMO’s are often worn by children. The medical term for a flat foot is a pronated foot or pes planus, pes plano-valgus, and hyper-pronated foot.
The SMO is designed to maintain a vertical, or neutral heel while also supporting the three arches of the foot. This can help improve standing balance and walking.
TLSO is the acronym for Thoracic-Lumbar-Sacral Orthosis. This orthosis is frequently a two piece plastic clamshell design (it may be a single piece that opens in the front or rear) that extends from the pelvis to just below the collarbones. It is used to stabilize the spine after surgery or for fractured vertebrae.
The Taylor type orthosis is often prescribed for Anterior Compression Fractures or in cases where a person’s torso tends to lean forward. It consists of a padded rigid frame that lies against the back of the torso from the pelvis to the shoulder blades and a cloth front that holds the lower frame to the body. Front shoulder straps hold the upper back against the frame. Some designs may also include a chest pad.
A truss provides support for the herniated area to hold it in the correct position.
(University of California Biomechanics Laboratory Shoe Insert)
(University of California Berkeley Laboratory Shoe Insert)
The UCBL (or UCB) shoe insert is a maximum-control foot orthosis that was named after the laboratory where it was researched and developed. It was developed in 1967 at the University of California Biomechanics Laboratory, which is sometimes referred to as the University of California Berkeley Laboratory.
The UCBL foot orthosis is used to stabilize a flexible foot deformity, which in most cases is a flexible flat foot. The UCBL differs from other foot orthoses in that it fully encompasses the heel with a molded heel cup which in turn holds the heel, or hind foot, in a neutral, vertical position. While correcting and holding the heel in a neutral position, the UCBL also controls the inside arch of the foot and the outside border of the forefoot. These three corrective forces keep the foot held in a neutral position.
It is very important to understand that the foot must be flexible enough to be held in a neutral position comfortably. If the foot deformity is rigid, the UCBL will be very uncomfortable if used to try to correct the deformity. If the foot is rigid, the UCBL is made to the shape of the foot and the goal is to prevent further deformity.
The UCBL is made out of a rigid material, usually plastic or lamination that is molded over a replica of the foot that is created by casting the foot. The foot section of the insert usually ends behind the toes by the ball of the foot. This allows for a natural rollover motion at the toes when walking. If a full footplate is necessary, a strap may be added across the top of the foot to hold the heel within the UCBL.
The UCBL ends just below the anklebones. Because of this design, the UCBL is not seen outside of the shoe. The best shoes to accommodate the UCBL are basic “gym shoes” or walking shoes with laces or Velcro. The UCBL does not work well with dress shoes or sandals.
View UCBL Care and Wear PDF
