Help identifying this orthotic material (pic)

[ofthesun]

I'm looking for sheets of the tan-brown material used to modify the insole pictured below. Does anyone know what it is and from where it can be ordered?

Thanks,
Mike

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[krabmas]

I think it is some sort of EVA. many external postings are done with EVA. unless you know the lab it is hard to tell the durometers (hardness) since the color is not standard in relation to hardness.

Langer uses white and red EVA for its posts

http://www.cobcord.com/sandalMaterialsIndex.html

this website might have it.

 

[fpr85]

It's a crepe material. If it's used for posting it's probably about 24 iron. You can order it from PEL or SPS (Southern Prosthetics Supply) to name a few companies -- You need to set-up an account with them though.

 

[fpr85]

We no longer fabricate our FO's in-house. We use a company by the name of Comfort Fit. They put out a well-made device -- this may help you out a bit:
http://comfortfitlabs.com/

PS: Whoever was working on that baby needs to tune-up their grinding skills on the wheel

 

[krabmas]

It's a crepe material. If it's used for posting it's probably about 24 iron. You can order it from PEL or SPS (Southern Prosthetics Supply) to name a few companies -- You need to set-up an account with them though.

what is crepe?

I thought they were thin pancakes?

but seriously what is crepe in context of FO materials?

 

[fpr85]

It's a shock-absorbing material that we normally use for rear-mid foot postings. I can't tell you much in terms of material composition. Crepe grinds similiarly to cloud, but is much more firmer -- not sure if that would help you out any. Sometimes we'll have pt's come into our office with orthotics that their DPM made for them, they normally use strips of moleskin stacked on top of each other to post it, wierd huh?

 

[krabmas]

It's a shock-absorbing material that we normally use for rear-mid foot postings. I can't tell you much in terms of material composition. Crepe grinds similiarly to cloud, but is much more firmer -- not sure if that would help you out any. Sometimes we'll have pt's come into our office with orthotics that their DPM made for them, they normally use strips of moleskin stacked on top of each other to post it, wierd huh?

are crepe and cloud brand names?

I have never heard about them. we learn about EVA, subortholene, polyprolenes, poron, ppt (by langer), evazote, plastazote....

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

I'm pretty sure crepe is just another material. When we used it in our orthotics lab, it reminded my of very hard cork.

 

[fpr85]

No, they are materials. Trust me though, you don't want to get into adjusting orthotics, it's a major pain in the ass. Especially when you introduce solvents to ppt, poron, certain met pads etc (to take them apart to adjust) because the solvents breaks down the material and you end up having to replace the entire thing.

Among other materials; in terms of coverings we use plastazote, vinyl, spenco, and thermosky.

plastazote - normally use for diabetics/ people with sensitive feet, lacking fat pads.

vinyl - for the more active person, because it doesn't wear as easily and does not absorb sweat.

spenco - for your average person that is of moderate activity level (it's has a thin cloth-like covering to it and is a bit cushiony)

thermosky - I don't cover any fo's in thermosky because it falls apart easily, only time I'll use it is if we have a pt waiting and i have to make some adjustments to the orthotic I'll just cover it overtop instead of having to strip down the entire fo.

I'll normally use 1/8'' poron --> sulcus on all my FO's just to add a bit of cushioning to it -- beware tho, like i previously mentioned, if you have to go in and make any adjustments, when you use the thinner to pull back the cover it eats the poron right up.

Then of course there are different types of eva-based framings, we use according to pt foot anatomy, age, activity level, etc.

Let me know if I can be of furhter help.

cheers

 

[krabmas]

No, they are materials. Trust me though, you don't want to get into adjusting orthotics, it's a major pain in the ass. Especially when you introduce solvents to ppt, poron, certain met pads etc (to take them apart to adjust) because the solvents breaks down the material and you end up having to replace the entire thing.

Among other materials; in terms of coverings we use plastazote, vinyl, spenco, and thermosky.

plastazote - normally use for diabetics/ people with sensitive feet, lacking fat pads.

vinyl - for the more active person, because it doesn't wear as easily and does not absorb sweat.

spenco - for your average person that is of moderate activity level (it's has a thin cloth-like covering to it and is a bit cushiony)

thermosky - I don't cover any fo's in thermosky because it falls apart easily, only time I'll use it is if we have a pt waiting and i have to make some adjustments to the orthotic I'll just cover it overtop instead of having to strip down the entire fo.

I'll normally use 1/8'' poron --> sulcus on all my FO's just to add a bit of cushioning to it -- beware tho, like i previously mentioned, if you have to go in and make any adjustments, when you use the thinner to pull back the cover it eats the poron right up.

Then of course there are different types of eva-based framings, we use according to pt foot anatomy, age, activity level, etc.

Let me know if I can be of furhter help.

cheers

too late. it is part of our curriculum to adjust orthotics. we have a lab at school where we adjust daily and we visit langer to make our own orthotics.

I made cycling ones!

 

[fpr85]

do most podiatrists have their own labs in their offices, fully equipped? (e.g. bandsaw, grinding wheels, etc)

It's great that you guys learn how to adjust orthotics - no doubt about it. It would probably be advantageous to hire a pedorthotist (no, I'm not one ) once you open up your own practice -- or is this what most people already do?

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

do most podiatrists have their own labs in their offices, fully equipped? (e.g. bandsaw, grinding wheels, etc)

It's great that you guys learn how to adjust orthotics - no doubt about it. It would probably be advantageous to hire a pedorthotist (no, I'm not one ) once you open up your own practice -- or is this what most people already do?

Most pods know of a pedorthotist or send their casts to a company like Prolab. I'm sure every school has a lab that we all learn to play in, but most pods just don't waste the time (therefore money) making orthotics.

 

[krabmas]

Most pods know of a pedorthotist or send their casts to a company like Prolab. I'm sure every school has a lab that we all learn to play in, but most pods just don't waste the time (therefore money) making orthotics.

if I had any intention of opening my own practice I would at least have a grinding wheel. there is not need to make the patient wait days or weeks for minor adjustments to the FO. I like the arts and crafts aspect of making and adjusting FOs but if it takes too long then it will be sent out. ( I need to make money!)

the smart pods know a C. Ped or become one themselves.

in case anyone else wanted to know what cloud and crepe are I have asked the Guru at NYCPM and he has spoken.

Crepe is a generic term for any elastomeric material, I.E. Neoprene{1-3 cis butadiene} or /EVA[ethylene vinyl acetate] or SBR {styrene butadiene rubber}
Cloud refers to a low durometer EVA 15-25 in general but can be higher

and he has also said that without feeling the material he is not sure what is in the picture from the OP but thiks it is tan PPT (poron) of about 20 durometers.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

if I had any intention of opening my own practice I would at least have a grinding wheel. there is not need to make the patient wait days or weeks for minor adjustments to the FO. I like the arts and crafts aspect of making and adjusting FOs but if it takes too long then it will be sent out. ( I need to make money!)

the smart pods know a C. Ped or become one themselves.

in case anyone else wanted to know what cloud and crepe are I have asked the Guru at NYCPM and he has spoken.

Crepe is a generic term for any elastomeric material, I.E. Neoprene{1-3 cis butadiene} or /EVA[ethylene vinyl acetate] or SBR {styrene butadiene rubber}
Cloud refers to a low durometer EVA 15-25 in general but can be higher

and he has also said that without feeling the material he is not sure what is in the picture from the OP but thiks it is tan PPT (poron) of about 20 durometers.

I can see a grinder or a heat gun but anything alterations that would take more than 5 minutes you'll lose more money than it is worth.

 

[fpr85]

Can podiatrists write up scripts for prostheses? Symes/partial foot (well the partial foot is pretty simple since you can just put a filler on a foot orthotic)?

To respond about the adjustments -- unfortunately, as you probably well know, realistically speaking most adjustments take more than 5 min to do. Especially when you have to let the glue set, tear the orthotic apart, etc. Unless you're doing something simple like adjusting the arch height. I can't imagine it being too costly to hire a c.ped -- let him deal with the headache

 

[krabmas]

Can podiatrists write up scripts for prostheses? Symes/partial foot (well the partial foot is pretty simple since you can just put a filler on a foot orthotic)?

To respond about the adjustments -- unfortunately, as you probably well know, realistically speaking most adjustments take more than 5 min to do. Especially when you have to let the glue set, tear the orthotic apart, etc. Unless you're doing something simple like adjusting the arch height. I can't imagine it being too costly to hire a c.ped -- let him deal with the headache

At our Mecca of Podiatry (Foot Clinics of NY) we send the patient with a script for the prosthetic to the orthotist company that we work with. We then let the orthotists do their thing - cast and adjust...