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Orthotics Glossary

105 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026

Static Orthosis

Basic Technical IVT

An orthotic device with no moving parts that immobilises a body segment in a fixed position to promote healing, prevent deformity, or maintain alignment.

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Muslin Casting Sock

Basic Technical

A thin, woven cotton tubular fabric applied over the limb prior to plaster-of-Paris casting to protect the skin and prov...

Technical Term Full entry →

Neutral Cushion Heel

Intermediate Technical IVT

A shoe modification in which the heel counter and seat are built to maintain the calcaneus in a neutral, unposted positi...

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Off-the-Shelf Orthosis

Intermediate Technical IVT

A mass-produced orthotic device supplied in standard sizes without customisation to the individual patient's anatomy.

Technical Term Full entry →

Offloading Orthosis

Advanced Technical IVT

A device used primarily in diabetic foot care to redistribute plantar pressure away from an ulcerated or at-risk area of...

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Orthosis

Intermediate Technical IVT

An externally applied device designed to support, align, prevent, or correct musculoskeletal deformities or improve func...

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Orthotic Checkout

Intermediate Technical IVT

A systematic clinical evaluation performed after an orthosis is fitted to verify that the device meets the prescription,...

Document Type Full entry →

Orthotic Intervention

Basic Formal IVT

The planned use of an orthosis or footwear modification as part of a patient's therapeutic management programme.

Technical Term Full entry →

Orthotic Prescription

Intermediate Formal IVT

A clinician-generated document specifying the type, design, materials, and functional requirements of an orthosis to be...

Document Type Full entry →

Orthotic Shell

Intermediate Technical IVT

The rigid or semi-rigid structural body of a custom orthotic device, typically fabricated from thermoplastic or composit...

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Orthotist

Basic Formal IVT

A regulated allied health professional specialising in the design, fabrication, and fitting of orthoses for patients wit...

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Patellar Tendon–Bearing

Advanced Technical IVT

A design feature of a prosthetic socket or orthosis in which weight is borne principally through the patellar tendon, re...

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Pathological Gait

Intermediate Technical IVT

Any abnormal walking pattern resulting from neurological, musculoskeletal, or structural impairment that deviates from n...

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Pavlik Harness

Intermediate Technical IVT

A soft orthotic harness used in infants to treat developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) by maintaining hip flexion and...

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Pedorthist

Intermediate Formal IVT

A credentialled professional specialising in the design, fabrication, and fitting of footwear and foot orthoses to addre...

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Pelvic Band

Intermediate Technical IVT

A rigid or semi-rigid component of a hip–knee–ankle–foot orthosis that encircles the pelvis to provide hip joint control...

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Peroneal Nerve Stimulator

Advanced Technical IVT

An implantable or surface-worn device that delivers electrical stimulation to the common peroneal nerve to elicit dorsif...

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Pes Cavus

Intermediate Formal IVT

A foot deformity characterised by an abnormally high medial longitudinal arch, often associated with neurological condit...

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Pes Planus

Basic Formal IVT

A structural or functional condition characterised by a reduced or absent medial longitudinal arch, commonly referred to...

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Plantar Fasciitis

Intermediate Technical IVT

Inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue running along the bottom of the foot, commonly managed in orthotics...

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Plantarflexion

Intermediate Technical IVT

The downward bending of the foot or toes away from the shin, the anatomical opposite of dorsiflexion, relevant to the de...

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Plastazote

Intermediate Technical IVT

A brand name for a cross-linked polyethylene foam widely used in orthotics as a conformable, heat-mouldable, pressure-di...

Style Convention Full entry →

Posterior Leaf Spring

Intermediate Technical IVT

A trimmed thermoplastic or carbon fibre AFO design characterised by a narrow posterior upright that provides dynamic dor...

Technical Term Full entry →

Posting

Advanced Technical IVT

The addition of wedge-shaped material to the heel or forefoot section of a foot orthosis to control or correct alignment...

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Prefabricated Orthosis

Intermediate Technical IVT

A mass-produced orthotic device manufactured in standard sizes and fitted to a patient without custom fabrication, as op...

Technical Term Full entry →
Showing 49–72 of 105

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