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All
designs are © K-9
Orthotics & Prosthetics Inc.
Bilateral Hip Orthosis
Helpful for: Hip Dysplasia, hip instability due to trauma, and post-operative support
Objective with the bilateral hip orthosis is to prevent the hip joints from subluxating (partial dislocation) or luxation (dislocation) while providing over all stability support for the legs. These are key factors in providing increased activity levels and reducing pain and inflammation.
By controlling the range of motion within the hip joint using mechanical joints, the bilateral hip orthosis assists in preventing unstable hip joints from dislocation partially or completely. Having metal supports on each leg and connecting together on the pelvic region provides the legs with stability support. This form of stability will enable the paws and legs to maintain in a good stance position giving better leg movement and control when walking.
The objective is achieved by having custom formed plastic that fits intimately onto the canine body. Incorporated within the custom moulded plastic are mechanical joints. A custom body harness suspends everything into position to maintain fit and alignment during the dynamics of canine movements.
Stifle Orthosis
Helpful for: post-operative and treatment to long-term chronic instability of the stifle joint
Objective with stifle orthosis is to prevent external and internal rotation within the stifle joint, while providing medial and lateral support. Controlling the joint range of motion will assist in preventing ligament tears while the designed form fitting plastic moulds aid in over all leg stability and support.
In order to achieve optimal benefits from a Stifle Orthotic, three factors need to be addressed:
- Proper fit
- Alignment
- Suspension
The stifle orthotic device must fit intimately so not to allow any movement between the leg and device, to prevent shear forces occurring within the stifle joint.
Alignment of the orthotic joint and anatomical joints are to be aligned appropriate with each other to allow leg and orthotic to function comfortably and efficiently.
Consistently maintaining suspension of the orthotic is necessary to provide proper fitting and alignment of the stifle orthotic. K-9 Orthotics & Services utilizes a harness system in order to maintain consistent suspension of the orthotic device during the dynamics of the canine movements.
Rigid Tarsal
Helpful for: Rigid external support during post operative or chronic instability treatment
Patients that require a removable orthosis while providing the ideal external support for fractured tarsal joints would benefit from a rigid tarsal orthosis in its recovery treatment. Patients who are geriatric and require long term rigid support would also benefit from the rigid tarsal orthosis.
Articulating Tarsal Orthosis
Helpful for: Physical support and stability of the tarsal joint while allowing range of motion
Objective is to provide physical stability while having ability to control the range of motion at the joint level accordingly. The orthosis is composed of custom formed plastic proximal and distal to the tarsal joint with rubber joints moulded into plastic. The rubber joints are in alignment with the tarsal joint. The plastic mould designs provide physical support and stability to the medial and lateral aspects of the tarsal and paw with a strapping system to prevent orthosis from migrating out of position. Hyperextension and hyperflexion are controllable in this orthotic application.
Articulating Tarsal and Rigid Metatarsal Orthosis
Helpful for: Paws that knuckle over
Objective is to fixate the paw in a normal stance position so when walking, the nails, digits and paw do not drag on the ground creating sores. The tarsal joint, can have free range of motion during gait cycle, or controlled. K-9 Orthotics & Services design incorporates the tarsal and lower leg aspect to utilize maximum support. In addition, the orthosis provides a rocker roller design, to orthosis planter aspect to facilitate a smooth gait cycle.
Tarsal Hyperflexion
Helpful for: Collapsed Tarsal Joint
Objective is to prevent the tarsal joint from collapsing due to instability (pathologically or traumatic). The orthosis is good for long-term use or for post operated treatment. The design of orthosis allows for soft cushion bumper system that prevents hyperflexion from occurring. A biomechanical strapping system prevent the orthosis form migrating out of place when canine is active.
Tarsal Dorsiflexion Assistance Orthotic
Helpful for: extending the Achilles tendon
Objective is to assist in treatment when trying to lengthen the contracted Achilles tendon. A custom formed plastic mould proximal to the tarsal joint with elastic straps on medial and lateral sides that connect to the middle of a boot that is on the paw. The elastic is adjustable to allow increased tension in incremented phases during rehabilitation treatments for stretching out the Achilles tendon. The boot has rubber gripper material on the sole to provide traction. The custom formed plastic provides firm intimate fit for suspension and medial lateral support.
Elbow Orthosis
Helpful for: Instability at the elbow joint
With congenital or chronic instability, issues with an elbow joint can benefit from an external orthosis for support. This stability provides increased comfort and mobility for the canines.
Rigid Carpal Orthosis
Helpful for: Hyperextention carpal joints, external support for arthodesis carpals, brachial plexus injuries and other physically aliments
Objective is to provide rigid support for the carpal joint in a natural stance position while having normal weight bearing pressure through the pad on the paw. When possible, a rocker roller design is incorporated into the orthotic design so that when the orthotic contacts the ground, the rocker roller design helps facilitate a roll over action for a smoother gait cycle. Rubber gripper provides excellent traction with ground surface.
This kind of external support through a carpal orthosis, allows for the paw and leg to bear weight more comfortably when external forces are applied to an injured leg and paw while preventing secondary problems such as sores from a dragging paw, or from tendon contractures occurring. If contractures are already present, the orthosis can be a modified design to support limb while having the ground reaction forces and pressure to be directed to the pad of the paw.
Articulating Carpal Orthosis
Helpful for: Physical support and stability
Objective is to provide physical stability while having the ability to control the range of motion at the joint level accordingly. The orthosis is composed of custom formed plastic proximal and distal to the carpal joint with a rubber joints moulded into the plastic. The plastic mould design provides physical support and stability to the medial and lateral aspects of the carpal and paw with a strapping system to prevent the orthosis from migrating out of position.
Carpal Hyperextension
Helpful for: Collapsed Carpal Joint
Objective is to prevent the carpal joint from collapsing due to instability (pathologically or traumatic). The orthosis is good for long-term use or for post-operative treatment. The design of orthosis allows for soft cushion bumper system that prevents hyperextension from occurring. A biomechanical strapping system prevents the orthosis form migrating out of place when the canine is active.
Carpal Extension Assistance Orthosis
Helpful for: Rehabilitation treatment to correct and provide extension assistance with contracted carpal joint
Traumatic injuries resulting in contracture in the carpal joint would benefit from the carpal extension assistance orthosis to bear weight during its recovery while assisting in increasing carpal joint extention. In some cases, the patient may have full range of motion in the carpal joint but require some assistance to initiate swing and follow through phases of the gait cycle. The custom form plastic orthosis with an incorporated rubber joint at the carpal joint level provides excellent support and stability to limb and paw.
Cervical
Orthosis
Helpful
for: wobbler’s disease or other debilitating neck injuries
Objective is to provide physical support for the neck and head. This is achieved through a rigid bivalve orthosis design. Postoperative treatment with a cervical orthosis gives more assurance for a comfortable and safer recovery time, especially for the larger canines. Canines recovering from wobblers and are experiencing weak muscles that allow a bobbing motion of the head and neck, which in turn can create more stress on the incision site, would benefit from a cervical orthosis to support and control head and neck movement. The orthosis is accommodating for long-term chronic use for those who are not able to have surgery.
Spinal
Orthosis
Helpful
for: Operative and treatment to long-term chronic instability support for spinal column
Objective is to support and maintain vertebra alignment while providing necessary range of motion restrictions. A spinal orthosis can help with the spinal column surgery post operatively or to provide long-term support for a degenerating spinal column. Incision site or other sensitive areas on the spinal column requiring no physical contact or have bulky bandage dressing, are issues that the custom spinal orthosis can address in its technical design and fit.
Leg Lengthening Discrepancy Orthosis
Helpful for: Legs that are of unequal lengths
Canines that experience leg fracture at the growth plate level in their early developing years, resulting in a stunted growth of the bone and leaving the canine with an altered gait cycle and an improper spinal column and hip alignment. The leg lengthening discrepancy orthosis would benefit the canine by providing a normal leg length for a natural gait cycle, levelling off the hip and allowing the spinal column to be more anatomically correct to prevent any scoliosis curvatures occurring. The orthosis encapsulates the complete leg distal to stifle joint and incorporates a rubber joint at the tarsal joint for a normal articulation while fixating the paw in stance position for stability. The design concept provides a longer biomechanical lever arm of support to the leg, distal to the stifle joint for maximum support when increasing the length of a leg.
Combination of multiple joint level orthosis
Helpful for: Post operative rehabilitation treatment
Sustaining injuries that affect more than one joint level do have orthotic technical and clinical options available. A stifle and tarsal combination orthoses can provide external support to stabilize the leg while being able to allow tension through elastic assistance to give extension assistance at the stifle joint while facilitating assistance at the tarsal joint, thus providing flexion assistance. A hip and stifle orthoses can assist with external support and stability while maintaining the joints in proper anatomical alignment with one another during recovery time.
Patients that sustained multiple injuries affecting the hip stifle and the tarsal can be helped with a full leg rigid orthosis, this will allow easy removal of supportive orthoses for regular evaluation, and as well, the orthoses can be accommodating during each phase of the recovery by providing initial rigid support to the progression of providing a limited range of motion.
Cranial Helmet
Helpful for: Head injury protection
Objective is to provide a hard protective shell for head injuries from trauma or post-operative treatment applications. Soft foam lining acts as an interface between the protective plastic shell and the head. Soft strapping system under head and jaw provides excellent suspension of the cranial helmet.
Patella Sleeve
Helpful for: Patella Luxation
Objective is to secure the patella cap in place, preventing luxation from occurring. This is achieved by using a custom form neoprene sleeve with a foam donut shape opening in the sleeve to secure patella cap.
Compression Sleeve
Helpful for: Compression tension for joint instability or swelling.
Objective is to provide the required compression tension without preventing joint movement or impinging on the circulatory system.
Service Dog Saddle System
Helpful for: Service canines
Objective is to provide a more comfortable saddle and harness system for service dogs who must bear human weight and forces. The design and material evenly distribute the human applied forces more evenly and thoroughly through the canine skeletal system. Having the metal handle fixed to a rigid plastic saddle provides a more controlled handling by the user, and the canine with a more comfortable working environment.
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