Foot Orthoses: An inclusive approach towards its definition and its Literature

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This dissertation is an opportunity for me to extend my regards to my research supervisor, my beloved friends, and my family for their untiring support that they furnished throughout my research. I am grateful to them for their belief in me and the guidance that they provided me without which I would have never been able to work on and complete this research. It also signifies my own views and does not closely relate to the university.

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DECLARATION

I, (), would like to declare that all contents included in this study stand for my individual work without any aid, and this proposal has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level, previously. It is also represents my very own views and not essentially those that are associated with other university.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI

DECLARATIONII

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the study1

Problem Statement2

Purpose of the Study3

Significance of the Study4

Aims and Objectives5

Research Question5

Summary of the outline of this study5

Definition of Terms6

Foot Orthoses6

Podiatrists7

Physiotherapists7

Customized Kinetics or Functional Foot Orthoses7

Prefabricated Orthoses7

Pressure Relief Orthoses7

Cushioning Orthoses7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW8

Foot Orthoses8

Classification of Foot Orthoses by Material9

Effectiveness of Foot Orthoses11

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY15

Search Strategy15

Research Design16

Justification of using the Qualitative design18

Inclusion Criteria18

Exclusion Criteria19

Critical Appraisal19

Thematic Analysis20

Ethical Considerations21

Critical Path21

REFERENCES23

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

For many individuals, walking is considered to be an elementary part of a person's daily routine and it is a chief component in overall life quality. The effectiveness and efficiency of gait depends on muscle activity and joint mobility that are considered to be selective in terms of intensity or timing (Perry, 1992). The motions and forces that are generated during gait are attributed to three basic functional tasks such as limb advancement, single limb support, and weight acceptance. The single limb support and Weight acceptance occurs during stance when the foot comes in contact with the ground however, the advancement of limb takes place during swing when the foot is off the ground. The ability of walking is usually impaired by injuries as well as frequent muscular and neurological pathologies. In the United States, the sizeable population existing with such impairments includes cerebral palsy (100K), spinal cord injuries (100k), multiple sclerosis (400k), polio (1M), and stroke (4.7M) (Dollar, & Herr, 2008). Such lower limb impairments are treated frequently with Foot Orthoses as it is used as a means to improve the functionality during gait.

Foot orthoses are frequently prescribed by healthcare professionals including rehabilitation specialists, orthopaedic surgeons, podiatrists, physiotherapists, and orthotists for neuro musculoskeletal conditions. Foot orthoses come in different types from prefabricated that are readily available in chemists to specialist-prescribed custom designs with varying methods of construction. They can be soft, semi-rigid to rigid depending on the materials used. Much exploration has been conducted in the efficacy area of these devices in controlling human locomotion however there appears to be much confusion and uncertainty in these conservative management approaches (Ashford 2005, Brouwer 2005, Sackley 2007, Burns ...