Dear Mailbasers,
A year ago one of my colleagues directed me to this discussion forum, I am
yet to find a source as informative. Thank you for pecking away at the
‘art' that is part (however small) of biomechanics.
It seems to me that the biomechanical exam that we so carefully perform on
our patients to build a picture of what the orthotic should ‘look like' or
do is at the mercy of the initial step of orthotic production - mainly the
positive cast balancing. Or am I wrong?.... Of course, the communication
between the lab and the practitioner is important to eliminate as much of
the ‘art' as possible, yet the questions beg to be asked:
1) Is there a standardized method used by the labs to balance casts?
2) What is the definition of a balanced cast?
3) Of what value are the heel bi-sections in balancing the casts? (Taking to
account the variance from practitioner to practitioner - some draw their
line more inverted, some more everted...)
4) Is there a ‘safe' margin of error? (Whereby if the cast is balanced
within, say 5 degrees, it *is* balanced properly)
With interest I have read the newsletter in Kevin Kirby's ‘Foot & Lower
Extremity Biomechanics' (collection of newsletters) which talks about the
importance of heel bi-sections etc., are there other references that someone
could share?
Thanks,
Mariusz Gurgul
Saskatoon Podiatry Clinic
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