Thursday, September 30, 2010

The biggest T.F socket !!!!

To get a proper fitting the highly skills in P&O is needed.
It might be one of the biggest T.F Socket in the world.You can put it in your records.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

OrthoProsthesis

Ortho Prosthesis side view.


Ortho Prosthesis anterior view.

Monday, August 16, 2010

From Orthopaedic dictionary!

Fiberglass cast:
An Immobilizing bandage made ofvself curing plastics.These casts are lightweight,long wearing and radiolucent as compared with plaster of paris.


Plaster Cast:
An Immobilizing circumferential bandage made from plaster-of -paris.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Diabetes Mellitus!

Transtibial stump as a result of diabetes
Diabetes i can say is a second main causes of amputation in Tanzania,after trauma,i hope even in your area diabetes is a problem but what differ is in which degree!.For that reason let us share this knowledge about diabetes
Diabetes mellitus.

This is a disease caused by deficiency or absence of insulin or rarely to impairment of insulin activity (insulin resistance) causing varying degrees of disruption of carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects your body‘s ability to change food into energy. Insulin helps you get energy from food .Some of the food you eat turns into a sugar called glucose. Glucose travels around your body in the blood. Your body stores glucose in cells to use for the energy. Insulin is the keys that open the door to the cells. In type 2 diabetes, your body does not make enough insulin, or has trouble using the insulin, or both. When you don’t have enough insulin or it doesn’t work right, the glucose stays in your blood .Over time, glucose will build up in your blood and spill into your urine. This can hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves,heart, and blood vessels.

Insulin is made by the cells in the pancreas called beta cells. When you eat and at other time over the day, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood to take care of rises in glucose. If the beta cells die, insulin is no longer made. This is what happens in people with type 1 diabetes .This is why they must inject insulin to live, while a person with type 2 diabetes might inject insulin but does not depend on it to live.

Types 2 diabetes usually comes on slowly. may have only mild symptoms or not notice any symptoms at all for years. Some common symptoms are constant thirst ,constant hunger, frequent urination ,blurred vision, and fatique.You may also experience tingling ,numbness, or pain in her/his hands or feet; dry ,itchy skin; and infections of the skin ,gums, bladder , or vagina that keep coming back or heel slowly.

RISK FACTORS;
You are more likely to have type 2diabetes if you
- have relative with diabetes
- Are over weight
- Are at least 45 years old
- Have impaired glucose tolerance
- Have a high blood pressure or high blood fats
- Had gestational diabetes or delivered a baby weighing over 9 pounds.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT TYPE 2 DIABETES?
How ever there is no cure for diabetes. Your health care provider can not give you any thing to make it go away. It is a chronic disease, but there things you can do to treat it yourself
(i)Health eating
(ii)Exercise is the best treatment for type 2 diabetes

Every one with diabetes find it is easier to control if they eat healthy meals and exercise daily.
Certain food rise your blood glucose .How much a food rises your blood glucose is based on type of food ,how it is prepared ,how much you it of it, when you eat it, and what you eat along with it. You can find out how the foods you eat affect your blood glucose level by testing your blood glucose after eating.
Exercise lowers your blood glucose level by using some of the glucose in your blood. It also helps your muscles use insulin better, so even more glucose is removed from the blood. When you add exercise such as 20 minutes walk ,to your daily schedule, you may lose weight too since loosing as little as 10 pounds can help some people get their blood glucose level back to normal.
But if health eating and exercise do not bring your blood glucose levels down to where you want to be, you may need diabetes pills. Diabetes pills are drugs that lower blood glucose levels, they are not insulin. If healthy food, exercise, and diabetes pills do not lower your blood glucose, you may need to take insulin

HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT IF YOUR TREATMENT ARE WORKING?
(i) Self monitor your blood glucose levels
(ii) Have regular medical check ups
With a blood glucose meter ,you can check your blood glucose level at any time of the day and see what affect the food you ate, or exercise you did, had on your on your blood glucose level. This helps you make decisions-what to eat, when to exercise or how much medications to take in order to control your blood glucose level. This knowledge can give you more flexibility in your day to day activities, also will help you to predict what your blood glucose level will do ,you can change your schedule around –eat at later time, exercise more than usual and still keep your blood glucose levels under control.

By using a blood glucose meter ,you don’t have to wait until you go to your health care provider to know how you are doing .Still your health care provider is important. Only your health care provider will check your over all health to assess how your treatments are working .Having a physical exam at least once a year gives your health care provider a better chance of finding any potential problems.

WHY DOES DIABETES CONTROL MAKE SENSE?
Untreated type 2 diabetes can lead to serious diseases of the heart, blood vessels ,nerves, kidneys, and eyes.
These diseases are called diabetes complications .You may have had diabetes for years and not even known about it. During that time, high blood glucose levels may have may have been damaging these parts of your body. that is why is important for you to take control of diabetes as soon as you are diagnosed. You can do something to prevent or postpone diabetes complications. Bringing your blood glucose levels closer to normal will stop or slow the damage to your eyes ,nerves, and kidneys

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR DIABETES?
-eat health food
-Control your health
-Stay physically active.
-Take diabetes pills or insulin, if needed
-test your blood glucose
-Get regular checkups.

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM TYPE 2 DIABETES?
Because you have diabetes, your children, siblings,or parents may be at risk for developing it,too.There are ways to help protect them:
-Share your health eating plan with your family; prepare family meal that every one can enjoy.
-Involve your family in your education; encourage them to visit your diabetes care provider, dietitian, and other health care team members with you.
-Make sure your family member have regular checkups with a health care provider experienced in diabetes. There are tests that can detect markers for diabetes before it develops.
-Ask your family members to be your exercise partners. Set goals together, and help keep each other motivated.

HOW DO YOU LIVE WITH DIABETES?

At first, you will need sometime to absorb all the information your health care providers give you. You may feel overwhelmed by all you must do and remember. You may feel sad about the loss of your good heath. You may feel angry because you have to make changes to the way you live. You may feel afraid of having a low blood glucose reaction, having to give yourself shots, or the thought of future complications. These and other strong emotions are all parts of living with chronic diseases.
Knowing these emotions are part of the disease may help you recognize them more quickly when they appear. This may help you to accept your anger, your fear, or your resentment. Seeking support from your family, friends, or a mental health professional may help.
Hopefully, you will come to accept your diabetes. Just realize that even after you have accepted it, you wont always want to follow a healthy meal plan and exercise. Some days will be easier than others. But that is okay, just do the best you can at the moment, and start fresh each day

FOOT CARE.

People with diabetes can get many kinds of foot problems, even minor ones can quickly turn into serious ones. This can lead to an amputation since the feet can develop a gangrene

Corns and Calluses
Calluses are areas of thick skin caused by regular or pronged pressure or friction
Corns are callus on a toe. Corns and calluses can develop on your feet when your body weight is borne unevenly. There are several things you can do to prevent calluses from forming.



Wear shoes that fits
Shoes that fits are comfortable when you buy them. Almost all new shoes are little stiff at the start and mold to your feet with wear, but this is different from buying the wrong size and trying to break them in. Make sure there is room for you to move your toes.

Wear shoes with low heels and thick soles.
Thick soles will cushion and protect your feet. Low heels distribute your weight more evenly.

Try padded socks
They not only cushion and protect feet but also reduce pressure. Be sure your shoe is large enough to fit this thicker sock. You may need extra –deep shoes.

Try shoes inserts
Ask your diabetes care provider or foot doctor about shoe inserts to better distribute your weight onto your feet.

If you get a callus or corn, have it trimmed by your diabetes care provider or foot doctor .Trying to cut corns or callus yourself can lead to infections .Trying to remove them with over-the counter chemicals can burn your skin .Untrimmed calluses can get very thick ,breakdown and turn into ulcers are not something you want.

Foot Ulcers
Foot ulcers are open sores or holes in the skin. Ulcers form most often over the ball of the foot or on the bottom of the big toe .Ulcers can be caused by a cut, callus or blister that is not taken care of .Ulcers on the sides of a foot are usually caused by shoes that don’t fit well. You can prevent ulcers by.

-Wearing shoes that fit.
-Wearing new shoes for just a few hours at a time.
-Throwing away worn-out shoes and sneakers.
-Wearing socks that fit
-Wearing socks without seams,holes,or bumpy areas in the
-Putting on clean socks each day
-Pulling or rolling your socks on gently
-Checking for pebbles or other objects before you put on your shoes.

An ulcer can be very painful. But if you have nerve damage you may not feel it. Even though you may not feel any pain from the ulcer, you need to get a medical attention right away. Walking on an ulcer can cause it to become larger and infected, an infected ulcer can lead to gangrene and amputation.

Poor Circulation
Poor circulation can make your feet feel cold and look blue or swollen .The best way to treat cold feet is to wear warm socks, even to bed .Do not use hot water bottles, heating pads, or electric blankets. They may burn your feet without you noticing .Keep your feet out of water that is too hot. Test it first with your elbow .If your feet are swollen, try lace-up shoes. You can tighten or loosen them to fit the shape of your feet.
To increase blood flow to your feet, start exercising (with your health provider’s approval). Avoid sitting with your legs crossed, which can interfere with blood flow .If you smoke, stop now, smoking limits blood flow to your feet.

Nerve Damage (Neuropathy)
Nerve damage can make your feet less able to feel pain, heat, and cold. If you have lost some of the feeling in your feet, don’t go barefoot. You could hurt your and not notice it. Check your shoes before you put them on. Make sure there are no stones, nailspaper clips,pins,or other sharp objects in them. Be sure the inside of the shoe is smooth and free of tears or rough edges.
Nerve damage can affect the nerves that cause sweating. As a result, your feet may become dry and scaly and the skin may peel and crack. If your feet have become dry and scaly, use a moisturizer twice a day. But don’t put the moisturizer between your toes, because the extra moisture can lead to infection. And don’t soak your feet, soaking dries out your skin..
Nerve damage can also deform your feet. Your toes may curl up, the ball of your foot may stick out more, and your arch may get higher. These changes can cause some parts of your feet to bear more weight. Those areas are then more likely to get calluses and corns. If the shape of your feet has changed, ask your diabetes care provider or foot doctor about shoe inserts or special shoes.

How to Care for your Feet
Check both of your feet each day. Look all over them. If you can not see well, have a friend or relative who can see well do it for you. Compare one foot to the other. Use a mirror to help see the bottom of your feet. Look for cuts, blisters, scratches, ingrown toenails, changes in color, changes in shape,punctures,anything that wasn’t there the day before.

Keep your feet clean,
Wash and dry them well, don’t forget to dry between your toes.

Keep your toenails trimmed
Trim your toenails to follow the curve of your toe. If you cant trim them yourself, have a member of your healthy care team to do it.

Have your feet checked regularly.
Take your shoes and socks off at every regular office visit to remind your health care provider to check your feet. Have your diabetes care provider check your feet for blood vessel, muscle, and nerve damage at least once a year.

Keep your blood glucose in control.
If blood glucose levels are high, you are more likely to get food problems

Keep you diabetes care provider informed
Call your provider if you have a foot problem, no matter how minor.
Source;ADA


Friday, May 14, 2010

Immediate Postoperative Prosthesis.(IPOP)


Bench alignment


In sagittal view


In anterior view
By KERIO RAPHAEL - BSc. P&O FINALIST TUMAINI UNIVERSITY/KCM-COLLEGE.
I recently concluded my Research study to which I was assessing the efficacy of Early Prosthetic fitting amongst Transtibial amputees. A total of 6 subjects were fitted with Rigid Casts out of POP in the Operating theatres and 3 days later the casts were fitted with terminal devices to form the IPOP,By the 4th day, the subject could learn to stand up, short distance transfers early weight bearing and early ambulations utilizing this technique,wound healing in tandem with rehabilitation goals.The results of this study indicated that this techinique accelerated wound healing,diminished post operative pain and oedema and early ambulations was attained.Certainly technique bridge the gape between amputation and definative prosthetic fitting thereby lessening overall rehabilitation period.
try it out and you will discover how valuable a prosthetist is in rehabilitationteam.Further you will find that as a Prosthetist you won't be confined to working in P/O labs/workshops only but also in operating theatres recovery wards.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Prosthetics and Orthotics Project Manager.

Prosthetic and Orthotic Project Manager, Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territory



Handicap International
NGO
Closing date: 15 May 2010

Location: occupied Palestinian territory - Gaza strip

Handicap International is looking for Prosthetic and Orthotic Project Manager
COUNTRY: Palestine
CITY: Gaza Strip
Starting date: June 2010
Length of the assignment: 7 months
Closing date for application: May 15th
Advertisement reference: PMPOGAZA

Handicap International is an international organisation specialised in the field of disability. Non-governmental, non-religious, non-political and non-profit-making, it works alongside people with disabilities, whatever the context, in response to humanitarian crises and the effects of extreme poverty. Handicap International implements programmes of assistance to persons and local organisations, inclusion programmes and programmes focusing on the fight against the main causes of disability. It runs projects in almost 60 countries, with the support of a network of 8 national associations (Germany, Belgium, Canada, United-States, Luxembourg, United Kingdom and Switzerland) The organisation employs almost 3300 people worldwide, 330 of whom work in France and in its European and North American sections. For more details on the association: http://www.handicap-international.fr/en/s/index.html

JOB CONTEXT:

The deteriorating socio-economical and security situation in Palestine has resulted in an increased number of persons in need of physical rehabilitation services. This is due to higher risk of injury and disease and poor access to relevant health care. Many persons injured during the last conflict became permanently disabled due to the extent of their injuries as well as secondary complications such as infected wounds, contractures, or secondary amputations. Although many of these people received physical rehabilitation and assistive devices, ongoing physical rehabilitation and assistance is still required to respond to all the needs of the persons with disabilities.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Under the management of the Head of Mission (HoM) you will ensure the projects objectives mainly to ensure that Persons with Disabilities and persons with conflict related injuries have improved access to physical rehabilitation services in the Gaza Strip and more specifically Persons with amputations and orthopaedic impairments will have improved access to quality rehabilitation.Challenges and goals: You will ensure the overall management of the project called: “Reinforcement of the capacities of rehabilitation services for Persons with amputation or orthopaedic impairment in Gaza”.

1. Activities:

Project Management
• Participate to the methodology definition to be used in the project.
• Lead process for participatory project biannual review and planning sessions with her/his team and to ensure that project activities, outputs and outcomes are captured and documented adequately
• Direct the implementation of the project and project monitoring procedures.
• Ensure fluid communication with ALPC.
• Ensure in coordination with administrator and HoM that document related to partnership are done within HI framework.
• Write the activity reports related to the project.
• Manage the financial and Human resources of the project through HI procedures
• Launch and set up project’s quality approach in terms of realization and impact.
• Identify any technical or documentary resources or additional skills for guaranteeing the quality of the project. .
• Participate in capitalizing on the association's experience gained on the project.

CANDIDATE PROFILE:Mandatory: - P&O ISPO 1 (or 2?)
- At least 5 years of professional experience with an international org
- Experience/knowledge in assessment of therapists
- Experience as trainer (need assessment/ training design and training delivery) in P&O workshop
- Experience in management
- Excellent analytical, planning, organising and task prioritisation skills.
- Capacity to formalize tools and procedures
- Excellent communication skills (both oral and written)Complementary:
- Experience in the Middle East/Islamic contexts or conflict areas
- Budget management
- Arabic knowledge would be an advantage

REQUIRED LANGUAGE SKILLS: Excellent level of written and spoken English (working language).

JOB ENVIRONMENT:

The P&O PM will be based in the Gaza strip with travels to Jerusalem. The situation is very volatile. Violence could be on a daily basis (air strikes, ground to ground missiles, Israeli incursion, Home made rockets, etc.). Expatriates have to respect strict security rules. The guesthouse and the office are in the same building. Because of the difficult living conditions, she/he will have the opportunity to go out every two week-ends and to come to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, the situation is tensed also but it is more possible to have a “normal” life: no curfew and no restriction of movements.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS:
Volunteer: 750 or 850 Euros monthly indemnity + living allowance paid on the field + accommodation + 100% medical cover + repatriation insurance
Salary: 2000 to 2300 euros before tax + 457 Euros expatriation allowance + 100% medical cover + repatriation insurance

How to apply

Please send resume and covering letter with the reference: PMPOGAZA to: HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL - 14, avenue Berthelot - 69361 LYON CEDEX 07By Email: recrut05@handicap-international.org Or by our website: www.handicap-international.frPlease do not telephone
Reference Code: RW_84WJW6-91
Source: Reliefweb