Investigation of the Work Performed by a Full-time Prosthetist and Orthotist with Patients and Users at Our Hospital

Abstract

Objective：This study aimed to clarify the actual functions and issues associated with the work of a full-time prosthetist and orthotist while treating patients and users at a rehabilitation hospital.

Methods：Using a database that recorded the work performed by the full-time prosthetist and orthotist, the details of the work performed over the course of a year were classified into eight categories and tabulated by stage and item.

Results：A total of 1,300 responses were collected for the one-year study period, of which participation in replacement of consumables and damage repair, adjustment of conformity, and brace clinic conferences accounted for 54.0%. Ankle-foot orthosis was the most common response (59.2%), and was more frequently associated with the living phase (76.3%) than the recovery phase (46.5%). The response numbers for all items per prescription in the recovery phase were as follows：prosthetic legs, 11.1 times；ankle-foot orthoses, 3.7 times；and knee ankle-foot orthoses, 2.2 times. Thus, the responses for knee ankle-foot orthoses were less frequent than those for the other two.

Conclusion：The maintenance of ankle-foot orthoses in the living phase and prosthetic legs in the recovery phase was well supported by a full-time prosthetist and orthotist. On the other hand, users of knee ankle-foot orthoses may have received less support.