About Orthosis

Overview

1. Definition: refers to the general term for in vitro devices equipped on human limbs, trunks and other parts, the purpose of which is to prevent or correct deformities of limbs and trunk or treat osteoarticular and neuromuscular diseases and compensate for their functions.

2. Basic functions: It mainly includes the following aspects:

(1) Stability and support: maintain the stability of joints by restricting abnormal movement of limbs or trunk, and restore weight-bearing or exercise capacity.

(2) Fixation and correction: For the limbs or trunks that have been deformed, correct the deformity or prevent the deformity from worsening by fixing the lesion site.

(3) Protection and load-free: By fixing the diseased limb or joint, limiting its abnormal activity, maintaining the normal alignment relationship of the limb and joint, the weight-bearing joint of the lower limb can reduce or eliminate the long bearing weight.

(4) Compensation and assisting: through certain devices such as rubber bands, springs, etc. to provide power or energy storage, compensate for the lost muscle function, or give certain assistance to the weaker muscle strength to assist limb activities or make paralyzed limbs move.

Classification

According to the installation site, it is divided into three categories: upper limb orthosis, lower limb orthosis and spinal orthosis.

Upper extremity orthoses

Shoulder Elbow Wrist Hand Orthosis (SEWHO)

Elbow Wrist Hand Orthosis （EWHO）

 Wrist Hand Orthosis （WHO）

 Hand Orthosis (HO)

Lower extremity orthoses

 Hip Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis (HKAFO)

 Knee Orthosis（KO）

Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis （KAFO）

Ankle Foot Orthosis （AFO）

Foot Orthosis （FO）

Spine orthosis

Cervical Orthosis (CO)

Thorax Lumbus Sacrum Orthosis (TLSO)

Lumbus Sacrum Orthosis （LSO）

1. Upper limb orthoses are divided into two categories: fixed (resting) and functional (mobility) according to function. The former has no motion device and is used for fixation, support, braking. The latter have exercise devices that allow movement of the limb or control or aid the movement of the limb. The purpose of using an upper extremity orthosis is to maintain the limb in a functional position, provide traction to prevent joint contractures, prevent or correct upper limb deformities, compensate for the loss of strength in the upper limb muscles, and assist the weak limb movement or replace the function of the hand.

2. Lower limb orthosis The main function is to support body weight, assist or replace limb function, limit unnecessary activities of lower limb joints, keep lower limb stability, improve posture when standing and walking, and prevent and correct deformities. When selecting lower limb orthoses, it is necessary to pay attention to the absence of obvious compression on the limbs after wearing, such as not compressing the popliteal fossa when the knee is bent at 90° with KAFO; In patients with edema of the lower extremities, the orthosis should not be close to the skin.

3. Spinal orthosis is mainly used to fix and protect the spine, correct the abnormal mechanical relationship of the spine, reduce the local pain of the trunk, protect the lesion site from further damage, support the paralyzed muscles, prevent and correct deformities, and achieve the purpose of correcting spinal diseases through support for the trunk, movement restriction and readjustment of the spinal line.