Yesterday marked the inaugural National Orthotist/Prosthetist Day across Australia held by The Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association.

Our very own Orthotics department plays a key role in helping patients with musculoskeletal, neurological, or injuries by designing, making fitting and managing orthotic devices.

Orthotic devices are medical supports, braces or splints that help to improve the function on the body, reduce, pain, or prevent further injury. Using advanced knowledge and evidence-based practice, orthotists and prosthetists assess and treat a person’s physical and functional limitations resulting from a range of health conditions and movement disorders.

As a field in allied health, orthotists and prosthetists are university qualified health professionals with expertise in the assessment and provision of orthotic and prosthetic treatment. The Northern Health Orthotics department has 5.0 EFT across all of Northern Health campuses, currently with six orthotists in the team.

A typical day for an inpatient acute orthotist can vary and include:

• Triaging referrals on EMR
• Attend diabetic foot ward round
• Fitting spinal braces to a trauma patient with spinal fractures
• Fitting removable rigid dressings for people who have undergone a below knee amputation
• Supporting fracture clinic with orthotic devices such as hinged braces, humeral fracture braces and wrist hand orthosis
• Modifying a cam boot with offloading to enable a patient with plantar foot wound to mobilise without putting excess pressure over the wound site
• Teaching the family members on how to care for a patient with a neck collar to immobilise the neck following fracture
• Fitting an ankle-foot orthosis for someone with a neurological condition to enable a safer walking pattern

“One of the most rewarding aspects of working in orthotics is the ability to significantly improve a patient’s quality of life,” said Jack Yeung, Clinical Lead – Orthotics.

“Whether it’s helping someone with mobility issues walk more easily, or enabling a person to regain independence after an injury, the positive changes we can bring are life changing for patients.”

“We have some very complex clinical presentation within our NDIS Orthotics clinic and designing and creating custom orthotic devices tailored to their specific needs is both a challenge and a reward.”

“The satisfaction of designing a device that works perfectly for an individual—whether it’s a custom-made foot orthosis or a complex high-end ankle-foot orthosis that exceeds client goals is very gratifying. Our team prioritise keeping up to speed with current and new advancements to ensure patients at Northern Health are receiving the best standard of care.”

Jack says the future of prosthetics and orthotics is incredibly exciting, especially with the rapid advancements in technology, including 3D scanning and printing to replace traditional plaster manufacturing methods, as well as exoskeletons and robotic limbs for neurological rehabilitation which are advancements he would like to see adopted within the next one to two years.

The team have already implemented new technologies, including:

• Advancement in materials: carbon fibre pre-preg manufacturing technique (the main benefit here is a finished orthotic device that is much more lightweight and durable than traditional carbon fibre resin lamination).
• Plantar pressure mapping technology which allows orthotists to measure and analyse the distribute of pressure on the sole of the feet. Plantar pressure mapping provides valuable data to design custom foot orthoses that target specific pressure points, offering better support, offloading and alignment. This allows clinicians to provide more effective offloading for patients with plantar foot wounds. Patients with diabetes present with reduced sensitivity in their feet, which makes them more vulnerable to pressure ulcers and wounds. Plantar pressure mapping helps detect high-pressure areas that might lead to ulcers, allowing for early intervention to prevent serious complications.
• Functional Electrical Stimulation: FES involves applying small electrical currents to nerves through surface electrodes placed on the skin. The electrical pulses stimulate the muscles, causing them to contract and produce movement. The goal of FES is to improve functional motor tasks, facilitate rehabilitation, and prevent complications associated with immobility.

The Orthotics department celebrated the inaugural day with a team catch up to reflect on the importance of their role within Northern Health and the success of their work and all the patients that they have helped along the way.