Orthotics service involves customized design of devices such as knee braces, shoe inserts and neck braces to help patients manage or recover from physical disorders or injuries. A center for Prosthetics & Orthotics in Jacksonville FL can provide this equipment on the order of a health care professional.
People have the option to buy cheaper over-the-counter devices at medical supply centers and pharmacies, but customized versions are significantly more effective because they fit so precisely.
Some of these products are intended for temporary use, while others purchased from a center for Prosthetics & Orthotics in Jacksonville FL are used for a lifetime. The devices usually are worn during certain activities.
Someone who has experienced a severe neck strain, for instance, may need to wear a neck brace for several weeks. However, this patient can remove it at certain times each day per the doctor’s guidelines. Knee braces often are worn after an accident that injures the joint. Sports medicine doctors may prescribe the equipment to stabilize the knee as the individual recovers.
In contrast, a wrist brace may be worn on a long-term basis when a person is dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome. Doctors may recommend wearing the device while sleeping to keep the wrist and hand supported.
This person may also wear the brace while doing activities requiring ongoing wrist movements, such as typing or bowling. Eventually, the patient may need an operation to resolve the syndrome. Shoe inserts generally are worn throughout the person’s lifetime unless surgery becomes advisable to correct the foot problem. Those inserts help people who do not have proper foot arches and instead have flatter feet than normal. That can cause foot and leg discomfort, and even pain when someone stands or does activities that require being on their feet.
Certain health problems cause frequent or chronic weakness in the limbs. Orthotic devices from a facility like First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic can help these patients as well. A person dealing with multiple sclerosis, for example, may have occasional weakness in the legs and will benefit from braces that provide support. People who have suffered a stroke may have similar issues.
