Overview
People can experience the total or partial loss of a limb or an orthopedic impairment for many reasons, including accidents, combat injuries, birth defects and disease.
Health care workers who specialize in orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) help these patients regain their mobility by fitting them with artificial limbs (prostheses) and orthopedic braces (orthoses). This fascinating field encompasses a variety of specialized careers, each of which contributes to designing, making, fitting, modifying, repairing and maintaining O&P devices that make an immeasurable impact on an individual’s quality of life.
O&P practitioners:
· Perform a detailed assessment to determine the patient’s O&P needs
· Assess the patient’s functional status, including muscle development, gait, sensory function, range of motion, joint stability and skin integrity
· Develop a plan that addresses the patient’s needs and goals, including pain reduction, comfort, stability, mobility, as well as aesthetics
· Select the appropriate design, materials, and components for optimum strength, durability and function
· Discuss the treatment plan, including benefits, risks and time involved
· Prepare the patient for the device, with the use of splints or compression garments, as needed
· Take measurements, make impressions, and develop templates as needed to accurately fit the device
· Fabricate/assemble the device and assess and properly align for maximum function and comfort
· Explain how to use and maintain the device
· Provide ongoing care, including evaluation and modification of the device for optimal fit and function
Many people enter this field because they or someone they know has benefited from a prosthetic or orthotic device. It is extremely rewarding to watch someone with a severe impairment regain lost abilities and enjoy new independence. Advances in technology, such as microprocessors, myoelectric joints and computer imaging, make this a particularly exciting time to be involved in O&P.
You can download, save and print a PDF of this career profile:
Orthotist and Prosthetist 14 Sep 2009 [pdf, 242 KB]
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Salary:
$33,742
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$89,334
[*]
Years in school:
4
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6
after high school graduation
Job outlook:
Excellent
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