correction in AFO's

correction in AFO's

Andrew Cinque

10/29/2009

I expect to catch some grief for this post, but that is NOT why I am
posting. It is to get some feedback as to whether or not I am nuts, and am
I the only one seeing this type of work?
 
Lets forget about design,and material choice for a second. I don't seem to
see even 70% correction in many of the AFO or even SMO braces I see out
there on patients. Frankly it makes me embarrassed to know that certified
practitioners are out there doing this sort of work. And yes, in many cases
these patients are presented to me at my clinics as having countless
problems with their braces. Even the client Aid who brings the patient into
the clinic making minimum wage sees what garbage is on their feet, but the
orthotist who fabricated the job doesn't see this ? Yes, I doff the braces
and with the Physiatrist, therapist, and Aid eval the corrections and many
times the ankle is 100% correctable. What a shame !! The patients are
tightening up into deformities because somebody out there who has CO at the
end of their name, and is supposed to know what they are doing is providing
junk and making out like a bandit because they are getting this work past
the docs and billing just like everyone else.
 
There are ways of getting a good corrective brace to fit a patient with
reasonable comfort. I'm not saying I have a 100% success rate, but it is
doable. And again, I am discounting material choice for the sake of this
post, although I have my preference. That is not the point. The point is,
to those clueless CO's out there ...... learn how to take a cast for God's
sake.
 
Sorry in advance for those who are angered by this post, and I am not some
Rookie trying to put myself up on a pedestal and proclaim that I know
everything. I guess I just had a bad day yesterday and once again saw some
real garbage being sold, while I'm breaking my a*s to try and do the right
thing. Very frustrating.
 
Andrew

Andrew A. Cinque CPO

Cell: (914) 755 5145

Office: (914) 699 2077