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Foot Care
Diabetic Foot
Care
McCleve Orthotics
and Prosthetics is committed to helping you maintain the health
of your feet. However, you must also be responsible for your own
health. Wearing what your doctor has prescribed is only a small
part of your care. There are many factors that will affect the
health of your limb: following your doctor’s orders, good
hygiene, and proper diet. Diabetes can be a very complicated and
progressive disease. Diabetes often causes nerve damage leaving
the feet insensitive to pain.
Extra Depth
Footwear
Extra depth footwear is
an important part of diabetic treatment. It is especially
important if you have loss of sensation or peripheral
neuropathy. Correct fit and the correct type of footwear are
crucial to prevent or reduce calluses and diabetic ulcers, and
to prevent amputations.
Orthotic Devices
KO (Knee
Orthosis)
The term KO is an acronym that stands for Knee Orthosis and
describes the part of the body that this device encompasses.
This device extends from approximately mid calf to mid thigh
level. There are many categories of KOs: Metal and plastic
designs. The metal design consists of a metal structure shaped
to the limb and upholstered with leather at the points where the
device makes contact with a person’s body. The plastic design is
usually custom molded to the person’s body with metal components
in key structural areas only.
KAFO (Knee-Ankle
Foot Orthosis)
The term KAFO is an
acronym that stands for Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis and describes
the part of the body that this device encompasses. This device
extends from the thigh to the foot and is generally used to
control instabilities in the lower limb by maintaining alignment
and controlling motion. Instabilities can be either due to
skeletal problems: broken bones, arthritic joints, bowleg,
knock-knee, knee hyperextension or muscular weakness and
paralysis. With this in mind, the indications for the use of a
KAFO are many and varied and any one particular design is
specific to the needs of the person it is made for.
AFO (Ankle Foot
Orthosis) - Conventional
A conventional AFO is
often used where swelling of the leg and foot is present or
there is a risk of sores on the foot.
AFO (Ankle Foot
Orthosis)
An
AFO is a device that supports the ankle and foot area of the
body and extends from below the knee down to and including the
foot. This device is used to control instabilities in the lower
limb by maintaining proper alignment and controlling motion. A
plastic AFO is a custom fabricated, molded plastic device that
encloses the back of the calf and bottom of the foot. It can be
fabricated with or without ankle motion and is worn inside a
lace-up shoe. A plastic AFO is generally used with patients
suffering from neurological or orthopedic conditions.
Compression Hose
Compression hose are
used to encourage proper circulation and reduce swelling in the
legs. They may be prescribed for painful, achy legs, edema,
varicose veins, and lymphodema. They are available in pre-made
and custom made styles. Pre-made will usually be chosen if the
leg measurements fall within the size and compression parameters
of that style. If not, custom made will be used. There are
varying degrees of compression that are used depending on the
type of problem being treated. The doctor will determine the
amount of compression needed.
CAM Walker
A CAM Walker is a
walking boot which limits the movement of the ankle and/or foot.
An adjustable ankle joint can also be set to restrict movement
or allow a set amount of movement to occur. A CAM Walker may be
prescribed for a severe sprain or after cast removal and is made
of a one-piece foam liner attached to double aluminum uprights.
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