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Post by lawrencebevan on Jul 2, 2008 12:30:19 GMT
Hi
Does anyone have any experience with the Ever-Flex orthotic products or know anybody that does?
Lawrence
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Post by TimVS on Jul 2, 2008 22:21:34 GMT
Certainly do. Their template orthoses are pretty good. I've had some success with those with patients who are not willing to pay for a casted device. I haven't used their casted devices for a while however. I feel the quality and after care are far better on OSI's products. That said they have just modified their product range so I might get a rep down. They're always quite pleasant to talk to.
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Post by lawrencebevan on Jul 3, 2008 7:51:44 GMT
Im interested to know if there is, lets say " a discernable difference" between their pre-fabs and their custom range.
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Post by TimVS on Jul 4, 2008 8:44:26 GMT
Not really. In fact I reckon their prefabs look better than their custom ones !
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Post by lawrencebevan on Jul 5, 2008 9:10:56 GMT
Im not totally convinced that the material ever-flex uses is thermo-mouldable, I wondering if it is only injection mouldable? Hence only available as a pre-formed unit.
Any thoughts anyone, I know the famous P + B clinic stake a great deal on the accuracy of this product....
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Post by TimVS on Jul 7, 2008 5:56:45 GMT
The template system has been adopted by a few other manufacturers lately I've noticed. Do you think they come from the same factory then? An injection moulded device would be completely rigid wouldn't it? I'm not sure their templates are. Have to check. Anyway, Footprints orthotics are much better
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Post by lawrencebevan on Jul 7, 2008 8:26:45 GMT
"The template system has been adopted by a few other manufacturers lately I've noticed. Do you think they come from the same factory then?"
Everflex are v cagey about their materials.
"An injection moulded device would be completely rigid wouldn't it? I'm not sure their templates are. Have to check."
No injection moulded can be whatever rigidity wanted from flexi to stiff. But injection moulded can never be custom made unless you make an injection mould for each patient - vvvv unlikely!
What am I getting at here?? I suppose Im saying some companies could have a set of pre-fabs that get marketed as custom devices - even having practitioners using "laser scanners" for a pointless scan of the patients foot. This is apparent when the material used is not mouldable but only formable through injection moulding.
Of course Ever-flex would never do that. Nor would gaitscan, footmax or rsscan. And the providers like P + B are very ethical transparent practitioners who would of course know the difference between custom and pre-fabricated devices.
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Post by TimVS on Jul 7, 2008 21:38:22 GMT
Oh, I see where you're coming from now.
Possibly.
I worked in an injection moulding factory once. Thrilling it was
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Post by lawrencebevan on Jul 9, 2008 13:32:51 GMT
Everyone else too scared?
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Post by dtt on Jul 9, 2008 15:21:35 GMT
Hi Lawrence Me NEVER ;D I'm not sure I am fully understanding your point. I think you are suggesting that a standard OTC device is being marketed by the vertical pressure loading Labs as "custom" orthotics. I don't know that much about injection moulding as opposed to thermo mouldable. I can only say I use the gaitscan system which is as you know a Canadian system and the "video" I was shown of the manufacture of the orthotics would appear to be Thermo mouldable inasmuch as the plastic was put into a fibre block mould and a heated press was applies all we were informed controlled by the reciprocal computer that collects the data sheet of the Pts scan. The O's are then finished by hand by technicians working from the practitioners Rx. Now that was some 5 years ago and whether that has changed or I was fed a fantasy I don't know but the O's don't appear to have changed in that time. I do know the cost has risen to us as practitioners which we are told to pass on but there is no way they are getting into the P & B range or anywhere near it:o Their Technicians are very knowledgable and are always willing to make a special modification if required and to discuss any problems we have I can say however the finished product is as good as any O's I have seen to date and they would "appear to resemble my Rx" ;D So....... Hope that helps. Cheers Derek
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Post by dtt on Jul 9, 2008 15:26:18 GMT
Oh and BTW all practitioners are encouraged to visit the maufacturing facility if they so wish and watch the process. Perhaps you next holiday should be Markham in Ontario ?? ;D Cheers D
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Post by robertisaacs on Jul 9, 2008 16:25:17 GMT
Reproduced from pod arena. Posted by simon spooner.
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Post by robertisaacs on Jul 9, 2008 16:42:43 GMT
On custom casts.
It would have to be a truly sinister company to sell pre fabs as custom devices. Having said that i will say this. It is well worth spending a day in the plaster room of a lab which makes custom devices. I suspect most would be shocked at just how much plaster gets added to the cast you take with such loving and accurate care and milimetric precision.
The final article from such a process can accuratly be described as a custom device. However it will have little in common with the shape of the original cast. Almost all morphological parameters will have been altered.
That being the case i wonder how much difference there is between a custom shell and one selected from, say, one selected from half a dozen size 5s to get the closest match.
regards Robert
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Post by dtt on Jul 9, 2008 16:49:13 GMT
Hi Rob Done it and it worked ;D I think again that old chestnut comes up about patient types. I have Rx'd many cavus feet but perhaps not the severity the Simon is referring to??. I don't think either system is the be all and end all because there is always the exception and so all options should be kept in mind when Rx'ing for patients Just my thoughts Cheers D
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Post by dtt on Jul 9, 2008 19:21:28 GMT
Hi Rob That is the most cynical statement on orthotics I think I have ever heard and if that is what Lawrence is suggesting then why are we bothering ? If we assume that : 1 if we cast, the lab alters the cast 2. The "computer lab" does what they want as well Whats the bloody point of what we do ?? Jeez I was fed up with the weather today.... Now... Take away my belt and shoe laces officer ;D ;D Cheers M8 D
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