Hi, hope everyone is well.
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For those of you in private practice, do you use a lab or make your own orthoses? I'm hopefully starting my own PP soon and would be grateful for any input, any suggestions for labs and what you would class as the basics for bio in my small clinic?
Many thanks,
Claire
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Hi Claire,
It would be helpful (and you would probably get more replies) if we could have some more detail eg. what country are you from? what are? what do you mean by basics for bio?
Thanks,
SallyLast edited: Jul 5, 2009 -
Hi,
Sorry still quite new and getting used to things. I am in Scotland. By basics, I mean the minimum/basic equipment I'd need to have to undergo a biomechanics assessment (I've just left uni where everything was readily available and very little guidance as to what you'd need for PP)
Thanks -
I am in Australia, so I will leave your response for someone else in Scotland.
Good Luck -
Hi Claire
You might find this previous similar thread useful:
http://www.podiatry-arena.com/podiatry-forum/showthread.php?t=4709&highlight=biomechanics+equipment -
Always, always knife & fork, beee dang if i can get those chopsticks working!
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Thankyou Ian,
144 views and no other replies? Does no-one else have an answer?! Looking for as much input as possible! -
Hi Claire ,
Try Pegasus , speak to Pat and he`ll charm you into using some great orthoses .
You`ll find as time goes by you`ll need a bit of pick and mix . Call the labs , get some samples and see who you works best for you and your patients . It`s essential you go to the lab and develop an understanding of what they can do and what you need for your patients . Enjoy developing these essential relationships .
Eanna -
Claire,
Use your experience and eyes, ears, touch. Ask why lesion patterns are where they, what ROMs are and what structural observations are. Relate these to your biomechanical style and correlate to you stance and gait assessment.
A good size and width walkway is very useful to see front back and both sides. Don't get too techinical at the beggining.
Find a lab that meets your needs and expectations as far as quality and results.
I use PARIS Orthotics - PARISORTHOTICS.com They are Vancouver based but have shipping to UK depending on numbers ordered.
Do what is comfortable and try what to you seems reasonable.
Regards -
Hi Claire
Ok. In terms of assessment equipment. To me, its all theatre props. There is nothing I use in my assessment which I could'nt do without. That said by far the most useful tool I've found is the "pelvic level". Its basically a spirit level with a couple of movable arms. You rest the arms on the patients ASIS (pelvis) when they are standing and it shows you (and more to the point them) if their pelvis is level. Cost a little over £100 but well worth it (and would not be hard to make your own!)
Otherwise I sometimes wave a goniometer over them, not particularly to do much with the readings (which research has shown to be grossly unrepeatable) but rather to give the whole assessment some structure and satisfy the needs of record keeping audit.
Things like pressure mats and video gait analysis are great toys and very impressive to the patient, but I think they are not needed for a good assessment. Do as your budget allows.
In terms of lab, you just have to shop around. I make my own, and for a very small number of other Podiatrists (all of whom I know personally) who prefer to send prescriptions on the lines of "here's some photos, here's whats wrong, here's what I want the orthoitic to do, what do you think would work?" rather than the "3 degrees of this 4.5 degrees of that". If you want to make your own you need to factor in the setup cost of the lab (grinders and vacuum formers are not cheap) and the time and agro to make them.
Hope this helps
Robert