Amputee Patient Comfort and Compliance

The Amputee Coalition and The O&P Edge have teamed up to present their inaugural amputee patient survey. According to O&P Edge, the purpose of the survey is to, "gain a better understanding of amputee behavior related to prosthesis wear." More over, the survey conducted asked patients with limb loss and limb difference to report on their habits and comfort of wearing their prosthetic devices.

The Amputee Coalition submitted surveys to 8,000 individuals. Out of those invitations 1,200 individuals responded to the survey.

Below are some interesting finds by the survey.



Click here to view the survey results and visit The O&P Edge article over the survey. You can also click here to visit The Amputee Coalition website.

Medicaid Online Enrollment

 Oklahoma's Medicaid program, SoonerCare, now offers individuals the opportunity to enroll for benefits online. It's easy to access and takes no more than 30 minutes to complete the enrollment. Recipients already covered by SoonerCare can also update and access their account online as well.

Medicaid services are managed by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OKHCA). Click here to visit their website and receive information over benefits. Also, you can click here to apply for benefits or manage your account.

Mercedes Formula One Team Sponsors Boy's Artificial Arm

Fourteen year old, Matthew James, didn't imagine his letter would bring him closer receiving a new arm from Touch Bionics. Matthew who is a fan of Mercedes Formula One racing team decided to reach out to Mercedes and ask if they were willing to sponsor the cost for a new artificial arm he wanted. Little did he expect Mercedes would agree. Click here to read the article.

Prosthetics Outreach Foundation

Prosthetics Outreach Foundations is an organization who seeks to ensure individuals in developing countries receive high quality orthopedic, prosthetic, and physical rehabilitation services. They go as far as assisting these countries with in-country fabrication of prosthetic and any other orthotic component. In this manner, they assist in consolidating the costly import of components such as: artificial knee joints, shoe braces, and so on. Currently, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation has programs in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Haiti.

For further information be sure visit their website by clicking here.

Man's Bestfriend Gets Prosthetics

West Point Bionic Foot: Transforming Fiction Into Reality

Who isn't familiar with Iron Man? Chances are, if you aren't, then you aren't familiar with the idea of a super-soldier outfitted with performance and combat ready equipment built into their suit. Sure enough, Iron Man is a fictional comic super hero, whose trade mark hot rod red and gold body paint has been a favorite for many comic enthusiast. However, can this idea of a suit or device built to armor a person really hold water in real life?

Meet the West Point Bionic Foot.

While it may not be the complete body suit, it is however, a glimpse of what the future holds. The foot itself is powered by two lightweight motors which are enabled by tension springs. According to Morgan Stanfield, a writer for O&P Edge, the West Point Bionic Foot is, "a cooperative effort among Arizona State researcher Tom Sugar, PhD, SpringActive; the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC); and a student engineering team from the United States Military Academy at West Point (West Point)." The  powered foot also represents a promising outlook for Military research; especially, in terms of creating the ability of powered running--which until now, was unheard of.

Be sure to check out a video of the West Point Bionic Foot by clicking here.

Amputee Coalition of America...Saving limbs, building lives

The Amputee Coalition of America is an organization dedicated to providing advocacy, support, and education to support their mission. Their mission statement reads, "To reach out to and empower people affected by limb loss to achieve their full potential through education, support and advocacy, and to promote limb loss prevention."

Their mission statement cannot be any closer to the truth.

The organization's website is filled with various helpful information for anyone seeking to empower themselves. The information has a wide range of topics including: support groups, scholarship opportunities, advocacy action center (which keeps readers involved with government changes), and other useful links. Perhaps our favorite is the National Limb Loss Information Center, which provides comprehensive resources for people with limb loss, as well as their families, friends, and the health care professionals involved in their lives. Which can be found at this link.

For additional information please visit the Amputee Coalition of America website by clicking here.

Who said foot care couldn't be fun?

As many of us know in the pedorthic field know, practicing good foot care may lead to lasting health as we age in life. This is especially true for diabetic patients in their treatment. However, sometimes the products that work to ensure or help to maintain our care aren't always fashionable or fun.

As health care providers we've experience many cases in which patients are reluctant to use a particular device because of its appearance. Z-Coil is a company based out of New Mexico who is taking a different approach to foot care, leg, and back pain.

The shoe features a double rocker-bottom design. According to their website, "if you suffer from injuries or arthritis and need to limit motion in your feet or ankles, or if you need to reduce impact to your heels at heel strike, as the foot rolls faster off your heel with a rocker sole." But, the unique feature about the shoe is its coil design. Z-Coil claims their coil provides 50% more cushioning than convenient shoes. The coil also rotates to adjust to different settings. Of course, this features illustrates the custom fitting experience you'll encounter at Z-Coil distributors. However, keep in mind, this product is not a diabetic shoe. Rather, its designed to relieve foot, leg, and back pain. For additional information  visit their website http://www.zcoil.com/