BioTech Limb and Brace

Possibilities.

  • Possibilities
  • Patient Services
    • Prosthetics
    • Orthotics
    • Scoliosis Treatment
    • Pediatrics
    • Cost and Insurance
    • Hotel Information
  • Technology
    • BioTech Biosystem
    • Prosthetics
    • BioTech Comfort Socket
    • Orthotics
    • Carbon Technology
    • Cranial Remodeling
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Resources

An April 2011 Tornado Survivor: Raymond Watson’s Story

March 15, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

artificial leg

On April 27, 2011, around 4:43 pm, a menacing storm cloud turned deadly as a funnel descended upon the ground. It was a member of the 2011 Super Outbreak and would be just one of 362 tornadoes formed over a three-day period from Arkansas to Virginia.

But for Raymond Watson and other survivors, it would be the most life-changing one.

By the time it reached Pleasant Grove, where Raymond worked, the EF4 tornado – over 1.5 miles wide at one point – had already torn through downtown Tuscaloosa, carving a wide swath of destruction and obliterating the Alberta City and Holt communities. Every tree was snapped in its path. The twister was so strong, it picked up a 34-ton metal truss on a railroad trestle and tossed it like a child’s toy 100 feet up on a nearby hill. Forty-four people were killed in and around Tuscaloosa before the tornado moved past the region, heading toward a much bigger target: the Birmingham metro area.

Raymond was at work at his machine shop when the tornado approached. It wasn’t a surprise; they had been following the storms. Raymond’s first thought was for his wife.

“I was at work when I left work to get in the way of the tornado, which doesn’t make much sense, but I did it anyway,” says Raymond. “I went home and my wife and I got in the basement.”

Raymond had been tracking the funnel and told his wife that the tornado would pass within a block of their house. He was eerily accurate, but instead of being a block away, the tornado passed through his back yard – and through his house.

He remembers the way the whole house was shaking, and the incredibly loud noise. Having worked in an industrial setting for most of his life, the noise wasn’t unfamiliar to him, but it shook his wife. As he says, “You just react. There’s not much time for scared.”

The top of Raymond’s basement was a massive slab which formed the foundation for the home’s front porch. As Raymond and his wife took shelter in the basement, the tornado came through and ripped the house completely off its foundation – which took away the wall that was supporting the slab.

It fell at an angle, and Raymond – reacting instantly – pushed his wife out of the way, to safety.

The slab then fell on top of Raymond’s leg, pinning him.

The tornado went away as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a grievously wounded Raymond.

“When the storm subsided,” he says, “I had told her, ‘I lost my leg.’ I didn’t have to wait for a doctor to tell me. I knew that I was going to be without it.”

Fortunately for him, a volunteer firefighter showed up and helped free Raymond from the slab. And a nurse showed up soon after to put a tourniquet on his heavily-bleeding leg.

“Had she not put the tourniquet on, I would’ve bled out,” says Raymond.

He fell unconscious and was taken to UAB, where they performed surgery. He eventually woke up several days later.

It’s a testament to the spirit and strength of Raymond that he was determined to life the same life he had always lived – to continue to work in his machine shop, support his family, and do the things he wanted to do. The alternative just wasn’t an option.

Six weeks after his injury, Raymond picked up his first prosthesis from BioTech. He was behind a walker for just two weeks. And he could carry on his daily activities after just two months.

Now, he has an electronically-controlled prosthetic device that helps him walk as smoothly as anyone with two natural legs. If you didn’t know Raymond was missing a leg, you’d never guess that he was an amputee – especially if you see him at work in his shop in Pleasant Grove, carrying on just like he was doing that fateful day several Aprils ago.

Raymond credits the doctors at UAB and the professionals at BioTech for his recovery. Of course, his indomitable spirit didn’t hurt, either – that quiet strength he exudes at all times. This spirit is what helps amputees overcome their limb loss and recognize all their possibilities in life.

A tornado is a fearsome thing. So is the prospect of a life without one or more of your limbs. And yet, there is hope – hope that no storm can extinguish, and no storm clouds can obscure. Raymond Watson is a living testament of that hope.

Looking for more information about BioTech? Contact us today.

Filed Under: Patient Stories

From a Chinese Orphanage to an American Home: Jonathan Hixon’s Story

March 8, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

leg prosthesis

In China, a country with a population of over 1.5 billion people, there are roughly one million orphans. No one is really sure as to the exact number. All we know is that there are many, and their needs are massive – beyond our imagination. It’s a tragic tale, full of sorrow and despair, a story of abandonment and neglect. What’s worse is that many of these orphans have special needs but lack the resources to be properly cared for.

In the face of such an overwhelmingly large tragedy, how can one person possibly make a difference? It seems impossible.

Rebecca and Eric Hixon don’t believe that.

Over the years, the couple has adopted six children from China – two boys and four girls. Their names are Jonathan, Josiah, Ruthie, Sarah Kate, Miriam, and Naomi. All of them have some form of special needs, ranging from moderate to severe. And these six children are in addition to the eight biological children that the Hixons have.

Six children were pulled from wretchedness in a foreign country and placed into a safe, secure, loving home here in America – all because one couple decided that they could and would make a difference.

Rebecca points to her faith as the catalyst for what her family has been able to do. “Several years ago, we were doing missions in Nicaragua and the Lord just opened our eyes to the orphan crisis around the world,” says Rebecca. “The Lord is the one who opened our hearts to this. He saved us and adopted us into His family. That just opened our eyes that we could adopt children into our lives and open our arms and our hearts and our homes to these children.”

“It is a blessing,” she adds.

One of her blessings is one of her oldest adopted children, ten-year-old Jonathan. When they first saw Jonathan, he had a deformed right leg that wouldn’t allow him to walk, only crawl. He also had a mild case of cerebral palsy, and he’s missing several fingers on his left hand, too. But when some people would unfortunately see a damaged child, the Hixons felt compassion well up in their hearts, and saw a precious child of God in need of love and care.

After his adoption, Jonathan had his deformed right leg amputated by doctors at Children’s Hospital. Shortly after, Jonathan was connected with BioTech to receive his first prosthesis. Over the years Jonathan has been with us, we’ve had to modify and adapt his prosthetic device to fit the needs of a growing boy – and it’s been a joy along the way to see him growing up before our eyes, getting healthier and stronger with each visit.

Jonathan puts his leg to good use, too; he loves playing outside with his brothers and sisters. He lives as normal of a life as any other child, something that the Hixons were determined to offer him. He plays video games, loves crossword puzzles, likes to read, and enjoys watching movies.

“He’s a very compassionate child,” says his mother. “He’s just a great, all-around kid.”

And although he has struggles, every time we see him in our office, Jonathan always has a laugh and a smile waiting for us. The small gestures are some of the things that make what we do a true blessing, and that is exactly what Jonathan has been to us and his family.

“BioTech has been outstanding and has helped Jonathan from the very beginning,” says Rebecca. “We’re so thankful for the work BioTech does. Their customer service is impeccable and their work is excellent.”

We’re thankful for the opportunity to help Jonathan, but we’re also thankful for people like Rebecca and Eric Hixon, who have such an open heart for children. Because of them, Jonathan and his adopted brothers and sisters have gone from a sad, tragic situation to one filled with hope and love.

Looking for more information on BioTech and our services? Contact us today.

Filed Under: Patient Stories

Building Better Braces for Spina Bifida Patients

February 22, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

spina bifida braces orthoses

Spina bifida is an uncommon birth defect that means the spinal cord and the spine didn’t form the right way during pregnancy. This defect affects roughly 1,500 babies in the U.S. each year and can range from mild to severe, with many forms resulting in mobility and orthopedic issues.

One common problem that comes from spina bifida is difficulty walking. Sometimes, the nerves in one or both legs don’t work as they should, resulting in weak muscles and even paralysis. Some can still learn to walk; some can’t. It really depends on the severity of the condition in that child.

There are other issues that can result, too. For example, patients with spina bifida can develop scoliosis (a curved spine), deformities in the bones and joints, and other orthopedic symptoms.

Many spina bifida patients find that in order to walk and move like they want, they need orthoses or braces. Braces can help shore up the weak parts of the body and provide much-needed structure and stability to the leg(s), giving the patient a chance to live a normal life.

Here, we’ll talk about braces for spina bifida patients, including how they work and how you can build a better one.

Types of Spina Bifida Braces

Supra-Malleolar Orthosis (SMO)

This type of orthosis supports the leg from the foot to right above the ankle bones. Ankle bones are called malleoli, hence the name of the device. This is a shorter version of an AFO (below).

Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO)

This brace supports the foot and extends past the ankle to midway up the calf. An AFO’s purpose is to control the range of motion of the ankle and offer support to the lower leg. AFOs are also known as “foot-drop braces” because they’re often used to support a dropped foot.

Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (KAFO)

Similar to an AFO, the KAFO extends up past the knee, which makes the device the more complex of the two. In spina bifida patients with more moderate to severe mobility issues, a KAFO is often needed because the entire leg has reduced feeling, strength, and movement.

Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (RGO)

The most complicated of the four types of orthotic braces, the reciprocating gait orthosis involves full-leg braces combined with a rigid pelvic band around the hips, connected by a cable. When the wearer flexes a hip joint, it allows them to move forward with the opposite hip and leg. So when they flex to the right, the left hip and leg move, and vice-versa. This is a fairly recent innovation and is most often used in spina bifida patients who have suffered partial or total paralysis of the lower body.

The Process of Building a Better Brace: Getting a Better Fit

There are a lot of factors that go into creating an optimal  brace for spina bifida patients. The materials you use can make a big difference, which is why we use advanced carbon-fiber technology.

But the best way to build a better brace is to get a better fit. A perfect fit makes a world of difference to patients who have to wear their brace for long hours each and every day, depending on it to walk and be active. The average person will take 5,000 to 7,000 steps a day, and each of those steps can be uncomfortable at best and painful at worst with an improperly-fitting brace.

To ensure a better fit, we use technology to help us. First, we take exact measurements, then create a fiberglass cast of the limb. Laser scanning can help us do the same as a fiberglass cast, except we can upload the design into our special software and manipulate the future brace as needed right there on the computer, before we create it. Laser scanning is really powerful and can help create an exact fit.

Then, through careful manufacturing, we can craft a brace that perfectly fits the limb and provides superior comfort.

Since most patients with spina bifida we see are children, making sure the brace is adjusted properly to a growing child is important. On average, children can expect to be fitted for a new brace or modifications on their existing brace about once per year until they reach adolescence. Then, new braces can be created less frequently.

Through it all, we’re focusing intently on creating the best fit possible, because that is the single biggest factor of how successful a brace will be.

Finding the Best Brace for Your Patient

If you have a child who has spina bifida and you need help taking care of their orthopedic needs, contact us. We have decades of experience creating orthotic braces for spina bifida patients and any other child who needs help walking properly. Walking isn’t something we ever take for granted. With your child, we’ll do everything we can to give them the gift of normalcy and activity – something every kid needs.

Filed Under: Braces for Children

Meet Our Patients: Katelynn Horne

February 15, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

orthotics brace spina bifida KAFO orthosis

Emilyn and Katelynn Horne look just alike. That makes sense, since they’re seven-year-old twin sisters. Both have long, straight brown hair. Both wear glasses. Both have adorable faces that can easily break out into smiles. They often think the same thing and even say the same words at the same time.

There’s just one notable difference: Katelynn wears a brace, and Emilyn doesn’t.

Katelynn was born with spina bifida, a condition in which the spinal cord and spine don’t form as they should. Many people who are born with spina bifida have mobility problems, and so does Katelynn. She has drop foot and no feeling on the left side of her leg, and has to wear a knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) that wraps around her leg from mid-thigh all the way to her feet. (Her brace is currently covered in Disney princesses, although she could soon change it to something else.)

Over the years – since she was four months old – Katelynn has undergone four surgeries. Two of these surgeries were detetherings, which sounds scary and, to a seven-year-old, is scary. A detethering is when fatty tissue forms around the base of the spinal cord and has to be removed. The surgeons debride  the tissue so that it can continue to grow properly, which is essential for a young girl sprouting up as quickly as Katelynn has.

The last surgery occurred just seven months ago and was, according to her mother Heather, an ordeal. “The last surgery was pretty rough,” she said. “She’s older and she’s more aware of the pain levels. She was having a lot of back pain from growing so quickly.” For the fourth time in her short life, Katelynn was back in surgery, now old enough to understand what was going on – and why her body hurt like it did.

After the first surgery at four months, it was clear to the doctors that Katelynn was going to have trouble walking. That meant bracing.

At first, Katelynn wore a supra-malleolar orthosis (SMO) on her right leg and an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) on her left. For a mother, it’s hard to watch your little girl struggle to walk with what basically amounts to machinery on her small legs and feet. It was even harder to know that the relatively small AFO wasn’t enough; they would have to move up to an even bigger brace, a KAFO.

After some time, Heather said they were mentally prepared to move to the larger brace, and they did. Now, Katelynn can move around a lot better because the KAFO gives more stability to her left leg.

What does she do with this brace? Anything she wants! Katelynn loves to run and play with her sister. And she also does something every little girl wants to do: ride horses. Katelynn says riding horses is one of her favorite things to do – although while she would love a horse of her own, she doesn’t suspect that her parents will buy her one.

Heather credits BioTech Limb and Brace  for much of the success Katelynn has had over the years. While they now live in south Alabama, which is over four hours away, they keep coming back to Birmingham. When asked if she would recommend BioTech Limb and Brace to other families, Heather doesn’t hesitate in her response.

“Oh, definitely. That’s why we drive over four hours to come here,” she says with a smile on her face. “They’re phenomenal.”

We at BioTech are blessed to have such a charming and adorable patient like Katelynn, who is also a courageous little girl who isn’t letting her condition interfere with what she wants to do. Our hope is she’ll continue to have the same great spirit as she grows and always strive to recognize her possibilities – and achieve them.

Filed Under: Patient Stories

Our Patient Possibilities: Hyman Nall

February 8, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

Miles College is a liberal arts college located just west of Birmingham, in the city of Fairfield. Founded in 1898, the school’s mascot is the Golden Bear, and its football team belongs to the NCAA Division II, where they compete with teams across the country.

On Saturday nights in the fall, as with many other places throughout the South, you can join thousands of other fans to watch the Golden Bears play in Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium. The home side of the stadium will be filled with countless fans – families, really – proudly wearing the purple and gold. For these people, Miles College football means a lot.

It especially means a lot for Hyman Nall.

Mr. Nall can be found in the stadium each and every Saturday night in the fall, watching his beloved Golden Bears play. He’s always been a big supporter and booster of the college and hates to miss a game. You’ll probably notice him, if you go; he’ll be the energetic 76-year-old yelling and cheering. He’ll also be the one walking carefully up and down the steps – which is amazing that he’s walking at all, considering he’s a double amputee.

Three years ago, due to a mixture of genetic conditions and diabetes, Mr. Nall lost his first leg. A year later, he lost his second. Suddenly, at the age of 74, Mr. Nall found himself faced with the prospect of never walking again – of never walking up and down the steps at Miles College under his own power.

Two years and many visits to several prosthetic device makers later, Mr. Nall found himself at BioTech, being outfitted with the latest set of legs. His new prostheses were beyond anything he had ever had before, with suction suspension and custom silicone liners made at our in-house silicone lab. They would get him where he needed to go – but only if he could master them.

So the work began. Under the tutelage of Eric Eisenberg and the BioTech team, Mr. Nall began the journey to regain mobility. It wasn’t easy. Walking without assistance for a double leg amputee is difficult, far more so than most people can understand. The tendency is always there to reach out and grab something for fear of falling over, and even after several sessions, Mr. Nall was doing just that – just trying to stand, let alone walk.

Eventually, he was able to stand, and even take steps forward. Then he had to do something most people don’t think twice about: turn around. It seems so simple, just a few steps in a small circle. But for Mr. Nall, it was a barrier, one that he had to tackle relentlessly, just like one of the football players he loves to watch.

But tackle it he did.

Through toughness and perseverance, after session after session, Mr. Nall was finally able to do something he had once thought he’d never be able to do again: walk unassisted, completely on his own, under his own power.

It took a combination of sheer willpower and modern technology to get him to this point, but now Mr. Nall can move around like a pro. He’s still learning, still practicing, but he’s to the point where those steps in the Miles College stadium won’t hold him back.

Come fall, when the temperature drops and the leaves start to hit the ground, you’ll find him where he always is on a Saturday night – sitting in the stands, watching his team play, and enjoying the simple things in life that others might take for granted. Like the ability to walk again, to be independent, to be free of crutches and canes and wheelchairs.

Prosthetic devices can go a long way, but a spirit unwilling to quit – a spirit willing to compete – has to handle the rest. And like the Golden Bears, Mr. Nall has that spirit through and through.

Filed Under: Patient Stories

The Importance of Sock Management for Limb Loss

January 18, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

sock management

Those who have experienced limb loss have a lot to learn when it comes to living a full, functional life. One of the things that many amputees have to adjust to is sock management – i.e. using socks to control and adjust the fit of their device for maximum comfort and function.

As you’ll see, sock management isn’t always intuitive. But it’s key to being as comfortable as possible with a prosthetic device.

Why Is Sock Management Important?

When people wear below the knee prostheses, they wear socks of different thicknesses, which we call plys. For one recent patient of ours, for example, we gave him 1-ply, 3-ply, and 5-ply socks. A 5-ply sock is five times thicker than a 1-ply sock. So, if you’re wearing five 1-ply socks, it’s the same as wearing one 5-ply sock.

When a patient with a below the knee prosthesis takes the leg off at night, and when they lay in their bed in a horizontal position, their body fluid goes all throughout their body and their legs swell up a little bit. When they put their weight on the prosthesis, they’re pushing body fluid up and out of the limb, which means the residual limb shrinks throughout the day.

How Sock Management Can Be Counter-Intuitive

How we adjust socks to fit our limbs and prostheses isn’t as straightforward as you’d think.

When something feels tighter, we normally think we should remove a layer. If you were wearing two socks in your shoes, for example, and your shoes felt tight, common sense would tell you to take off a layer.

But with limb loss, it’s different. Since that residual limb is smaller during the day, it’s pressing deeper into the socket as pressure is applied to it. That is what makes the socket feel tighter.

So, the solution is to add another layer to provide a buffer, which is done by adding another sock or going up to a higher ply sock.

It’s counter-intuitive, but it’s a very important piece of information for any person with limb loss.

Practice Makes Perfect

Through practice, you’ll learn how to listen to your body and adjust as needed. You’ll become more familiar with the patterns of your body and how your prosthesis fits throughout the day, and you’ll get better at sock management to make sure you’re comfortable all day long.

We recently had a patient named Mr. Nall. Mr. Nall is a double amputee with two below the knee prostheses. One of the things he has learned is how to manage fit through his socks. We gave him 1, 3, and 5-ply socks and taught him how to listen to his body. As a result, he’s walking better and experiencing more comfort, too.

Now, Mr. Nall can go to his beloved Miles College and watch the Golden Bears play while walking up and down the stands in comfort – thanks to sock management.

At BioTech, we help our patients learn sock management as a part of our service to them as valued patients. If you have a question about sock management, or anything to do with getting a prosthetic device, contact us – we’d love to help.

Filed Under: Amputation Care Tips

Our Three-Step Process for Building Better Prostheses and Orthoses

January 11, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

 

prostheses and orthoses

Building a great prosthesis or orthosis is an art and a science. A lot of artistry goes into designing these devices, but we also use technology to our advantage.

Over the years, we’ve developed a proven three-step process that we use to create prosthetic and orthotic devices that fit perfectly and perform beautifully. The cutting-edge technology we use in our process is not only very effective; we also think it’s extremely cool.

Here, we’ll walk through the three components we use to build better devices for our patients.

Step #1: Laser Scanning

In the days before modern technology, we fitted patients by taking plaster casts of their limbs and then used those to carve the final product.

These days, we don’t have to do that. We have something better: laser-scanning technology.

Using a high-precision laser scanner (we have two different ways to scan your body), we can accurately capture the shape of the residual limb, or the part being braced, and upload the scan into the computer.

Lasers are far more precise and accurate than plaster or any other by-hand method. Better precision results in a better fit with the final prosthesis or brace.

Laser scans also let you show physical proof to insurance companies of why you need a new limb or brace. It gives you justification that increases the chances that insurance companies will pay for it.

Laser scanning also gives you a track record of how you have grown, which is really important when it comes to adjusting devices.

Step #2: Upload to CAD

After we take the laser scan, we upload it to our Rodin 4D computer-aided design (CAD) software.

Rodin 4D allows us to start designing the device. We can change the shape, tweak it, and make it exactly how we want.

One big advantage of using a CAD system is that you can see what the finished product will be like before you go through the production process. If there’s a problem with fit, you can notice it well before you start carving anything. 

Step #3: Carving the Piece

Finally, after we’ve scanned your body and uploaded the scan into CAD to ensure the correct fit, we start the carving process.

We use a highly-specialized robot that is the first of its kind in the state of Alabama to carve solid pieces from blocks of foam. The robot is programmed using CAM software – computer-aided manufacturing – that is accurate down to millimeters. It’s amazing to watch it rotate and carve with such master precision far beyond what human hands can deliver. Since the precision is so high, the fit is guaranteed to be better than what can be done by hand.

Better Devices for Deserving Patients

Our patients deserve the best-fitting prosthetic and orthotic devices in the world. We’re confident that our three-step process using cutting-edge technology delivers those devices to our patients and gives them something that will fit and function as well as possible.

Learn more about our process by consulting with our team of specialists, and contact us to learn more about how you can get started with recognizing your possibilities.

Filed Under: Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices

Reviewing the Ottobock Fitness for Amputees App

January 4, 2018 by BioTech Possibilities

amputees app

Living with limb loss can be challenging, but in today’s world, there’s a wealth of resources to make life easier and more productive for amputees.

This includes technology that helps you make the most of your prosthesis and create possibilities. Ottobock, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of prostheses, designed its Fitness for Amputees app (available in iTunes or Google Play) for people who want to keep in shape with a prosthetic device.

We downloaded the fitness app and decided to create a review of the app for our patients and others who are dealing with limb loss and want help staying in peak condition.

Overview

Fitness for Amputees was developed by therapists working with Ottobock and is designed primarily for lower limb amputees. The app is cleanly designed and easy to navigate, and consists of three modules:

  • Strength and endurance
  • Coordination and balance
  • Stretch and relax

Each module contains exercises that were designed by physical therapists to develop each of those areas. And each module can be scaled up or down in difficulty.

When you select an area to work on, the app will take you through a series of exercises that range in duration and intensity. You can use their recommended settings or create your own.

The result is a fairly customizable program tailored to your personal preferences.

Key Features

The Fitness for Amputees app has several key features, including:

  • 3 different types of exercises
  • Customizable, individual programs
  • User data that tracks statistics
  • Four exercises per exercise area

As far as the exercises go, each of them is recommended and a good thing to do, but there’s not a lot of variety because each area only has four. However, it’s a great place to start, and for many users, four is enough to create a solid program.

User Interface

The user interface is clean, easy to navigate, and easy to use. The text is easy to read, and the app does a good job of explaining what to do, with sample videos for each exercise (plus music to go along with the timer):

Overall, the layout is simple yet elegant and user-friendly as well.

Should You Use It?

There are a few minor things we’d recommend to improve it, namely more diversity in exercises and just more exercises period, but overall, Ottobock’s Fitness for Amputees app is a winner. If you’re looking to build up strength, increase balance, or just stretch your muscles, the app is an easy way to go about it and is a terrific intro into more complicated or advanced physical therapy regimens you may participate in down the road.

Download the Fitness for Amputees App Here

BioTech Limb and Brace makes prosthetic and orthotic devices that take advantage of cutting-edge technology to put smiles on peoples’ faces. Learn more about our personable approach and how we help patients and their families thrive.

Filed Under: Amputation Care Tips

3 Things That Make the Best Personal Prosthesis

December 21, 2017 by BioTech Possibilities

prosthesis

A prosthesis, for an amputee, is something that becomes as much a part of their body as their natural limbs. That’s because you come to depend on it so much that you start to consider it a part of your real body.

That’s the goal, at least, with a well-fitting prosthesis. But what makes for a great prosthesis? What factors go into giving you the best, most comfortable, most productive fit for your body so that you can depend on your prosthesis and use it to live a full, active life?

The Fit of Your Socket

The first thing we as prosthetists try to make sure works well for you is the socket fit.

Socket fit is extremely important. When people have problems with their prostheses, it usually starts with the socket not fitting properly.

We take great care to ensure a custom socket fit through the combination of cutting-edge technology, custom materials, and decades of experience. Our goal is to mitigate the amount of friction and impact on your socket that can result in discomfort at best and pain at worst.

A properly-fitted socket will give you:

  • Better control over your prosthesis’ function
  • Reduced chance of friction between your limb and the socket (accomplished by fitting more snugly)
  • More comfortable, healthier skin

There are a lot of factors that determine how well your socket will fit, from the material of the socket to the custom sock liner to how the prosthetic limb is suspended. Your prosthetist can go through the options with you and come up with a proper fit.

Alignment of the Prosthesis

How well all of the components of your prosthesis fit together is what we call alignment. A properly-aligned prosthesis is functional and comfortable. One that is misaligned is uncomfortable, inadequate, and unacceptable.

There are a lot of things that we consider when aligning your prosthetic device. These things include your residual limb, the size and shape of your body, your posture, the specific type of components used in your device, your control over the prosthesis, and your feedback when wearing the device.

A prosthetist takes all of the above into consideration and works with you to find the proper alignment that makes you mobile, fully functional, and comfortable. A properly-aligned prosthesis is the goal.

You!

The third factor in how well a prosthesis works is you! Specifically, we’re talking about your life, your abilities, and how well you can control the device.

We’ll look at your lifestyle – what you like to do, how active you are – plus what you do for work, your mobility, muscle strength, flexibility and coordination, stamina, balance, and more. We’re looking not just at what you can physically do now, but what you could do later.

It’s not just physical abilities, though. We also look at your mental state and how well equipped you are to handle the prosthesis and adapt to its use. This is best accomplished with physical therapy and counseling, if necessary, and we’ll work with you to help navigate this road you’re on so that you have a positive experience.

Getting the Best Prosthesis

As you can see, it’s not just about the prosthesis itself. But it’s a big part, and that’s where we come in. Our job is to make you the best prosthesis possible — one that fits well, works well, and adapts well to your body so that it feels like an extension of yourself.

If you have any questions, or need to explore options with a prosthesis, feel free to talk to us. We’re happy to help you find the right prosthesis and the right team to support you in your journey.

Filed Under: Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices

10 Tips for Wearing and Caring for Your Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO)

December 14, 2017 by BioTech Possibilities

Your ankle foot orthosis (AFO) is vitally important to helping you move around to the best of your ability. You’ll depend on it every single day, for hours at a time, which means you have to care for your AFO and keep it in proper working condition. Not to mention, you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible, which means knowing how to wear one.

At BioTech, we help patients with their AFOs every day. Over the years, we’ve gathered tons of advice and helpful information for our patients that we’ve learned, not just from being ankle foot orthosis experts but also from listening to our patients and the feedback they’ve given us.

Here, we’ve condensed years of insight into 10 tips for wearing and caring for your AFO that you can follow to get the most from your orthotic device.

1. Wear the Right Shoe

One mistake people make is thinking that just any shoe will do, and that they can wear the same-size shoe with their AFO.

To be comfortable, wear a lace-up shoe that can fit both your foot and the AFO. You’re looking for a snug, comfortable fit that still gives room for the AFO to move around a little bit.

The heel height matters, too; you want heel height that is the same across all of your shoes. The wrong heel height will affect how you walk and the alignment of your device.

2. It’s All About the Sock

We recommend wearing a cotton sock between your skin and the AFO so that you’re more comfortable and the AFO doesn’t rub up against your exposed skin. It should be long enough that you can roll or fold the top of the sock back over the AFO, so the sock stays in place and doesn’t ride down on your leg.

Some of our patients have said that wool socks also work well because they tend to be thicker. Go with what makes you comfortable and what works best for you.

During humid times of the year, you can even sprinkle baby powder on your leg before putting on the sock to cut down on moisture and friction. Consider changing socks several times a day, too.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

People who get new AFOs tend to have problems walking with their devices at first. But, this will go away with practice. Practice does make perfect. Give yourself plenty of chances to walk around with your physical therapist – or walk around in the safety of your own home – before you venture outside.

4. Check for Pressure Areas

Sometimes, your AFO will cause pressure areas to form. These are red areas where pressure has been placed by the AFO and is causing discomfort or possibly reducing circulation in your foot.

Check for pressure areas often. If you have a reddened area that doesn’t go away after 20 minutes, make sure you keep a careful eye on it and call your orthotist if you have concerns about the fit of your AFO. An adjustment may be necessary.

Speaking of adjustments…

5. Adjustments Will Happen

Expect for you and your orthotist to have to make some adjustments to your AFO before you find the perfect fit. This is completely normal. Don’t stress out if the AFO doesn’t fit just right at the beginning. Over time, you’ll find that ideal fit through careful adjustments with your orthotic professional.

6. Start Slow

If you’ve just started wearing an AFO, you need to give your body time to adjust. So, start by wearing the brace for just an hour at a time before taking it off and resting. For the first few days, alternate between wearing the orthosis and resting your leg.

Over the next week, you can gradually increase your wearing time until you’re wearing it comfortably for as long as you need.

7. Cleaning Your Device

Your device will consist of several thermoplastic components. These need to be cleaned at least once per week. Use mild soap when cleaning these sections, and be sure to completely rinse the parts after you’re done cleaning them.

Also, don’t soak your AFO in water. Just clean it by hand and avoid soaking, which can damage your device.

8. Lubricating Your Device

The metal joints will also have to be lubricated from time to time. Your orthotist can help you find the proper type of lubricant and tell you what kind of lubrication schedule you need to be on. Proper and regular lubrication is one of the best ways you can keep your AFO working just like it should.

9. Be Careful How You Dry Your Device

AFOs are vulnerable to direct heat sources. Let them air dry at room temperature. Make sure you don’t use a hair dryer or any other source of direct heat – such as an open fire or a space heater – to dry your AFO. You can towel-dry the device, then leave it lying in the open. One way you can accelerate the device’s drying time is to use a fan.

10. Don’t Make Adjustments Yourself

 

It’s really tempting to want to tinker with an AFO yourself, but we highly recommend only allowing an orthotist to make adjustments. These devices are carefully designed, finely tuned pieces of equipment that need a qualified hand to adjust them.

 

Ankle foot orthoses are terrific devices that allow a greater degree of mobility for countless patients from all walks of life. If you have an AFO, follow these AFO care tips to keep your device – and you – working smoothly.

 

For more information, contact your orthotist today.

Filed Under: Ankle Foot Orthotics (AFO)

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 12
  • Next Page »

Latest Blog Articles

  • An April 2011 Tornado Survivor: Raymond Watson’s Story
  • From a Chinese Orphanage to an American Home: Jonathan Hixon’s Story
  • Building Better Braces for Spina Bifida Patients
  • Meet Our Patients: Katelynn Horne
  • Our Patient Possibilities: Hyman Nall

Blog Topics

  • 3D Prosthetic Devices
  • Amputation Care Tips
  • Ankle Foot Orthotics (AFO)
  • Artificial Limbs Alabama
  • Braces for Children
  • Cranial Remodeling
  • Front Page
  • Limb Loss Tips
  • Patient Stories
  • Possiblities
  • Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices
  • Running Prosthesis
  • Scoliosis Braces
  • Toe Walking
  • Uncategorized
  • Video Stories

Quick Links

Biotech Home
Your Possibilities
Patient Services
Our Technology
Information & Resources
About Biotech

Call Us

Toll Free: (866) 706-LIMB
Local: (205) 324-7897
Fax: (205) 324-7899

Contact Us

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Our Hours

Monday - Friday 9AM - 5PM

Our Location

2421 4th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233

Copyright © 2018 · Biotech Limb and Brace, LLC · Website by: Uptick Marketing + Visule Web Media