As the end of the year approaches, it’s time to look at policy and billing changes impacting O&P facilities. This month’s Reimbursement Page reviews recent changes in policy that are causing some denials; previews an upcoming billing and coding change; and examines the handling of returned and refused items.

Geza Kogler, PhD, CO presents a discussion on Plantar Fasciitis

We will discuss essential business considerations when providing post-mastectomy care in your practice, including personnel, accreditation, cost of goods, inventory, coding, and marketing.

Join Nikki Giamarino, CFm for An In-Depth Look at Quality of Life and Survivorship After Breast Cancer

Significant investments from industry and government have led to the development and commercialization of powered components, particularly for the lower extremity prosthesis. These technologies may offer significant benefits for patients, but how do you best identify those patients and implement the technology into their care. As the field moves forward, how will these technologies evolve to meet the unmet needs?

This session contains the following Free Papers (C18A) Effect and Benefit of Ankle Foot Orthoses for Patients with Weakness of the Plantar and Dorsiflexors: Biomechanical Comparison of Different Orthotic Concepts Presenter: Thomas Schmalz, PhD - OttoBock Patients with both plantar and dorsiflexor weakness can be successfully fitted with AFOs. The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of different AFO concepts for supporting movement patterns of daily living using biomechanical parameters. (C18B) Importance of Passive Dorsiflexion Range of Motion in the Ankle: A Case Study Where Dynamic Contracture Treatment Corrects Alignment in the AFOto Limit Knee Hyperextension Presenter: Flora RJ Versyck - CPO, PT, Basko Healthcare The importance of alignment in an AFO in order to control the hyperextension in the knee provided PROM in the ankle. A explicit case study that shows the result of dynamic contracture management as a base for a well-tuned AFO to correct knee hyperextension. (C18C) Design and Fitting of a Custom-made Carbon-fiber Ankle Foot Orthosis for Sprinting Co-Presenter: Francesca Gariboldi - PhD Student, University of Padova This study describes the design and fitting of a custom-made carbon-fiber composite AFO for sprinting to be used in combination with conventional and certified sprinting shoes with spikes for track. The AFO was designed and fitted for a 26-year-old female paralympic athlete with an acquired right spastic hemiplegia, who was unable to use traditional AFO with neutral ankle alignment (0? flexion). Thanks to this orthosis, the subject was able to compete at the 2020 Tokyo paralympic games. (C18D) The Importance of Implementing of a Mechanical Stance Control Orthosis in an Early Stage During Rehabilitation in Order to Improve Standing, Walking and Activities of Daily Living Presenter: Flora RJ Versyck - CPO, PT, Basko Healthcare Review the benefits of early application of stance control orthoses during rehabilitation for quadriceps failure or knee instability. (C18E) The Effect of Early COVID-19 Policy on a Multi-national Cohort of Individuals Dependent on Knee-ankle-foot Orthoses for Ambulation Presenter: Tyler Klenow, MSPO, MBA, CPO, FAAOP - Senior Clinical Research Associate, Ottobock Healthcare LP (C18F) Improvement in Fast Walking Speed and Daily Step Counts: Interim Results From the International C-brace Registry Presenter: Russell Lundstrom, MS - Director of Clinical Research, Ottobock A prospective, multicenter registry was designed to gather real-world safety and effectiveness data from patients that have been fitted with a C Brace. The purpose of this interim analysis of registry data was to determine the effect of C Brace utilization on walking speed and step activity after 12-months of wear. A secondary purpose was to determine to what level results correlate in improving or declining subjects.

In treating both children and adults in orthotics, it is essential to have a firm understanding of typical and atypical gait patterns. But how is gait developed? What are the major characteristics of a developing gait pattern? Children learn to walk as they gain triplanar postural stability from head to toe. Through postural control development and gross motor skill attainment, children develop improved integration of their sensory systems, muscle balance and both dynamic and reactive balance. This lecture describes the necessary development to achieve a mature, energy efficient gait pattern. Orthotic intervention should lead to gait progression, not just the alleviation of a particular gait deviation. Understanding typical gait development and how children adapt their movement patterns early in their development and then use these same "go-to strategies for stability" later in walking will help pediatric orthotists to design their orthotic treatment plan and then to assess the effectiveness of their orthotic intervention.

Learn from five presentations on research in the cranial remolding and spinal orthotics fields.

New Lower-Limb Prosthesis LCD that expands coverage will take effect Sept. 1

Custom molded shoes are an essential tool when working with hard-to-fit feet such as patients with severe edema or partial foot amputations. We will look at the process of designing and fabricating molded shoes from start to finish. Learn best practices for serving this challenging group including casting and dispensing tips.

• Custom molded shoes are an essential tool when working with hard-to-fit feet such as patients with severe edema or partial foot amputations. We will look at the process of designing and fabricating molded shoes from start to finish. Learn best practices for serving this challenging group including casting and dispensing tips.