• Admissions and Referrals
• Clinical Services
  • Spinal Surgery
  • Adult Rehabilitation
  • Paediatric Rehabilitation
  • Medical Devices/ Neurostimulation
  • Respiratory Ventilation
  • Physiotherapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Urology
  • Obstetrics
  • Radiology
  • Neurophysiology
  • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
  • Priority Dental
  • Outpatients
    • Peripatetic Service
    • Seating Clinic
    • Orthotics
  • Discharge Co-ordination
• Education
• Research
• Clinical Guidelines
• Patient Information

Orthotics

The NSIC orthotic clinic is available for any patient cared for at the NSIC and subsequently referred by their GP. It is staffed by two orthotists and two physiotherapists.

Any member of the multidisciplinary team can refer the patient who can also self-refer. Assessment is carried out by the orthotist and the clinic or treating physiotherapist together to arrive at the most appropriate and achievable orthosis.

An orthosis is an external joint support used to:

• Support limbs and joints that are paralysed or weak
• Prevent contractures (joint stiffness) by holding the joint in the optimum position
• Enhance alignment to improve posture

Ankle-foot-ortosis, knee-ankle-foot-ortosis, and upper limb orthosis are made for this purpose. Braces and corsets support the multitude of joints in the spinal column.

Orthopaedic or bespoke footwear is sometimes necessary to prevent pressure ulcers in people with contractures, swelling and poor circulation of their feet.

For children with spinal cord injury a supportive and preventative orthosis is used to enhance the postural alignment whilst seated and to enable standing to promote growth in normal alignment. This is to minimise, delay and prevent the onset of spinal deformity.