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Prosthetists Prosthetists are health care pro- fessionals who evaluate, create, and custom-fit artificial limbs, known as prostheses. Prostheses are used to enhance the function and lifestyle of people with limb

Did You Know?

The word prosthetic is Greek for “addition.”

loss. Prosthetic patients may have been born with limb defi- ciency or have experienced amputation due to trauma, cancer or other life-threatening diseases, infection, or abnormalities in blood vessels or nerves that required amputations. The pros- thesis is custom-made for each patient and must be a unique combination of appropriate materials, alignment, design, and construction. These prostheses, which are machines and enhancements to replicate limbs, allow for greater movement and function for patients and give them a better quality of life. Orthotists Orthotists are medical professionals who make, fit, and adjust different types of orthopedic braces, known as orthoses. Orthotists draw on their knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics , and engineering. Orthoses are external braces

and devices that are used to mod- ify the structural and functional characteristics of the neuromus- cular and skeletal system. These braces allow for better move- ment, aid in rehabilitation, cor- rect shapes of bones or parts of

Did You Know?

One out of every 200 people in the United States has undergone an amputation.

What Is a Prosthetist or Orthotist?

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