Prosthetists use technology to create and provide protheses to replace limbs to help regain mobility and function.
Orthotists provide support, aids and advice to correct problems or deformities in nerves, bones and muscles.
Prosthetists and Orthotists work to transform the lives of service users to improve their ability to move freely. The aim is to treat service users with limb loss due to a wide range of conditions including diabetes, poor circulation, infection, trauma, cerebral palsy, and malignancies/tumours. They help people of all ages from children to adults and elderly.
- Complete assessments which includes the service users’ history, examining muscle strength and joint motion
- Design and fit prosthesis or support for service users with limb loss to restore mobility
- Use knowledge and a variety of skills such as design, engineering and problem-solving to make service users’ lives better.
- Make, design and prescribe instruments e.g. braces to help service users mobilise.
- Work alongside professionals to ensure service users have everything that they need to aid recovery following an injury or surgery.
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Health centres
- Private companies
- Manufacturing and servicing companies
- Overseas healthcare providers
- Voluntary organisations e.g. the British Red Cross