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Glossary of Terms

AE– Above Elbow Prosthesis

AFO– Ankle Foot Orthotic

AKAbove Knee Prosthesis

BEBelow Elbow Prosthesis

BKBelow Knee Prosthesis

CAM Walker “Controlled Ankle Movement” – foot braces that allow patients to walk even with the most intensive injuries.  Also refereed to as a ROM Walker “Range of Motion”

Cervical Spine7 vertebrae that make up the spine in the neck region

Cervical CollarNeck Brace

Cockup Wrist SplintWrist Splint

Compression StockingsKnee High, Thigh High or Pantyhose style garments that are used to control lymphedema in the legs

CTO Cervical Thoracic Orthotic

Cranial OrthoticBracing to treat the head

CTLSOCervical Thoracic Lumbar Spinal Orthotic

CVACerebrovascular Accident, commonly known as a stroke, is the abrupt death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen caused by insufficient blood flow to the brain

DAFODorsal Ankle Foot Orthotic

Diabetesa disease that makes the body unable to process sugars

Doffing – Taking the orthosis or prosthesis off

Donning – Putting the orthosis or prosthesis on

Drop Footalso known as Foot Drop, is the inability to flex one’s foot due to weakness or paralysis of nerves at the ankle

Edema – Swelling of the tissue

EOElbow Orthotic

FOFoot Orthotic

Functional Electrical Stimulationlow energy electrical pulses to artificially generate body movements in individuals who have been paralyzed due to injury to the central nervous system.

Functional Level – Degree of function a disabled patient still achieves.

HOHip Orthotic

KAFOKnee Ankle Foot Orthotic

KOKnee Orthotic

Linera protective cover made of a flexible, cushioning material; reduces movement and chafing between the skin and the socket.

LSOLumbar Spinal Orthotic

Lumbar Spine5 vertebrae just under the thoracic spine that make up the low back region

Lymphedemaswelling caused by fluid retention in the Lymphatic tissues & Lymph Nodes

MS Multiple Sclerosis, a disease in which the body’s immune system eats away the protective covering of nerves, causing interruption between nerves and the brain and ultimately the degeneration of nerves

OrthoticBrace

Peripheral Nervesall nerves outside the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral NeuropathyDamage of the Peripheral Nerves

PFPartial Foot Prosthesis

PRAFOPressure Relief Ankle Foot Orthotic

ProsthesisArtificial Limb

Rehabilitation Team – Group of allied health care professionals that frequently includes physician, surgeon, orthotist/prosthetists, physical and occupational therapist, social worker and counselor who serve the needs of a patient

RRDRigid Removable Dressing

Shrinkeran elastic sock that is made to control swelling, promote healing and assist in shaping your amputated leg

SOShoulder Orthotic

Socka sock knitted to fit the shape of the residual limb worn inside the socket, reducing the friction between the residual limb and the socket and replacing lost volume in the socket due to shrinking of the residual limb

Socket – The portion of the prosthesis that is in contact with the residual limb.

Spinal OrthoticBack Brace

Stroke– see CVA

Syme’s Prosthesisa prosthesis for an amputation done just above the ankle joint

Thoracic Spine12 vertebrae just under the cervical spine that make up the upper and mid back region

Thumb SpicaHand Brace

Tracer CAD“Computer Assisted Design” scanner to digitally scan a residual limb to obtain a precise rendering for creating the prosthetic socket

TLSOThoracic Lumbar Spinal Orthotic

Transfemoral – A type of amputation that occurs above the knee

Transtibial – A type of amputation that occurs below the knee

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