You may be asking yourself what is an orthotist. I was asking myself how to pronounce it and spell it properly:
The following is taken from http://www.sickkids.ca/centrefororthotics/who-we-are/certified-orthotist/index.html
A Certified Orthotist [designation C.O. (C)] is specifically trained and educated to design, fabricate and fit orthoses. They provide and manage custom-designed and pre-made orthoses to patients. Certified Orthotists conduct clinical assessments based on a physician’s prescription, make a recommendation for a pre-made or custom-made orthosis and monitor patients with the goal of restoring physiological function and/or cosmesis.
Every other week the orthotist comes down from Kelowna to visit Penticton at the CDC. I was pretty stoked to get to spend the day with her as one of my preceptors said that he got to spend a couple of days with an orthotist during one of his placements and it was very educational.
So I got to see a bunch of new pathologies I have not yet been exposed to by only working with the 0-5 year olds. People from the entire lifespan came to the clinic to see her. It was actually pretty nice to be able to communicate with patients using complete sentences and my big girl voice ;) Some of them at least, as some of them were still kids with special needs.
The orthotist was really interesting to watch. She would do an assessment or make an observation and get right in there and start cutting or blow torching (yes, she had an actual mini blow torch to heat mold splints). My favorite was when she asked me to grab an the anvil. Seriously. She used an anvil. Awesome. She was also very helpful in explaining why these clients needed the types of othoses or braces that they were being fit for. She was also a gait wizard.
Also I totally had a huge safety fail when I ran a foot rest of a wheel chair into a patients leg. SORRY!!! and didn't get a chance to put the brakes on when he was sitting down... ooops.
I think its good as a physio to be in contact with a good orthotist. This profession is able to really help out our patients if what we are doing is not enough to correct their alignment or posture. I think that sometimes patients would come to us first and then if necessary we would have to know to refer them on to the orthotist to help correct their bowing, get them more ankle foot support or get them fitted with a brace to help correct contractures.
The following is taken from http://www.sickkids.ca/centrefororthotics/who-we-are/certified-orthotist/index.html
A Certified Orthotist [designation C.O. (C)] is specifically trained and educated to design, fabricate and fit orthoses. They provide and manage custom-designed and pre-made orthoses to patients. Certified Orthotists conduct clinical assessments based on a physician’s prescription, make a recommendation for a pre-made or custom-made orthosis and monitor patients with the goal of restoring physiological function and/or cosmesis.
Every other week the orthotist comes down from Kelowna to visit Penticton at the CDC. I was pretty stoked to get to spend the day with her as one of my preceptors said that he got to spend a couple of days with an orthotist during one of his placements and it was very educational.
So I got to see a bunch of new pathologies I have not yet been exposed to by only working with the 0-5 year olds. People from the entire lifespan came to the clinic to see her. It was actually pretty nice to be able to communicate with patients using complete sentences and my big girl voice ;) Some of them at least, as some of them were still kids with special needs.
The orthotist was really interesting to watch. She would do an assessment or make an observation and get right in there and start cutting or blow torching (yes, she had an actual mini blow torch to heat mold splints). My favorite was when she asked me to grab an the anvil. Seriously. She used an anvil. Awesome. She was also very helpful in explaining why these clients needed the types of othoses or braces that they were being fit for. She was also a gait wizard.
Also I totally had a huge safety fail when I ran a foot rest of a wheel chair into a patients leg. SORRY!!! and didn't get a chance to put the brakes on when he was sitting down... ooops.
I think its good as a physio to be in contact with a good orthotist. This profession is able to really help out our patients if what we are doing is not enough to correct their alignment or posture. I think that sometimes patients would come to us first and then if necessary we would have to know to refer them on to the orthotist to help correct their bowing, get them more ankle foot support or get them fitted with a brace to help correct contractures.
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