Orthotics Specialty Programs
Pediatric Orthotic Management
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital has helped children for more than 100 years. Our orthotic history includes helping children during the polio era of the 1940s and 1950s, introducing plagiocephaly helmets in the early 1990s, providing charitable care over the years, and participating in international efforts to help children. Today, our pediatric orthotists work closely with families, pediatric physicians, therapists, and special education schools to provide the most appropriate orthotic technology. Our complete line of custom pediatric orthoses includes SMOs, AFOs, KAFOs, TLSOs, RGOs, night positioning orthoses, standing frames, and custom helmets. Mary Free Bed O&P provides expedited services for recent surgeries, serial castings, and botox for fracture patients. Mary Free Bed O&P pediatric orthotists attend cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spasticity, scoliosis, spinal cord injury, and spina bifida clinics. Our pediatric orthotists also attend pediatric seminars and in-services on an annual basis to stay current with pediatric best practices.
“We are very pleased with the staff at MFB. They are very kind and understanding and explain everything well so we can understand it. Our son’s health means everything to us, as well as to your staff. Thank you!” - parent of orthotics patient
Pedorthics (Feet)
Mary Free Bed O&P offers a complete line of custom and stock items for the foot – multidensity, soft plastazote and semi-rigid foam, rigid polypro and UCBL custom foot orthoses, therapeutic shoes, custom shoes, post-operative shoes, and shoe modifications. Mary Free Bed O&P's pedorthists are certified by the Board for Certification in Pedorthics and have decades of experience. As with other areas, our process includes a physician prescription, an evaluation and casting appointment, custom fabrication, a fitting appointment, and adjustments, as needed. Mary Free Bed O&P's expert care extends to diabetic patients as well as to athletes. We are committed to foot care, recognizing the role that proper care plays in preventing more serious conditions in the future.
“I’ve been getting orthotics and special shoes for over 20 years. This is by far the best experience I have ever had.” - orthotics patient
Positional Plagiocephaly
Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics is one of the leading centers nationwide for providing Orthomerica cranial remolding orthoses used to treat deformational plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, scaphocephaly, and other head shape deformities in infants 3-18 months old. Orthotists use digital scanning technology to measure head shape, create custom helmets, and work toward maximum symmetry over a three-to five-month period. Mary Free Bed's system is FDA approved and is minimally intrusive to the child. Results are digitally measured and compared to pre-treatment conditions by means of computer scans.
“Gina Corazza, CO, was awesome! Caring, informative, skilled, etc. She did a great job with our daughter’s plagio band!” - parent of orthotics infant patient
Scoliosis Services
Scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine, generally occurs in adolescence, typically in the 9-14 year age range. While not always treated, scoliosis may be addressed with a scoliosis brace should a curve progress to a magnitude of 25-45 degrees. Physicians will evaluate the effect of the curve on back pain, breathing, and disfigurement before deciding whether to use bracing to prevent further progression of the curve. If a brace is prescribed, a Mary Free Bed orthotist, trained in the evaluation, design, fabrication, and fit of the orthosis, provides scoliosis services. Types of orthoses available include the Boston, Charleston, Providence, Milwaukee, SpineCor, and TLSO style designs. After fit of the customized orthosis, the orthotist will provide information on care, wearing schedules, and follow up.
“We met with Mark Porth, CPO, at the Holland campus. He was terrific, very caring, explained things to us. Had terrific follow up. Actually called our doctor to discuss a brace suited better for my daughter’s needs. He’s terrific!” - parent of a Holland-area orthotics patient