Orthotists and prosthetists reflect on their early patient encounters and the lessons they learned from those experiences. Certified prosthetist-orthotist Quincey Brabant recalls an appointment early in her career to treat a pediatric patient and notes how it important it was to establish a connection with the patient and her parents, while certified prosthetist-orthotist Katie Jeter shares the success of creating a socket for a patient model, who reminded her that "you're not going to learn anything when you don't make mistakes."

A study in the journal Prosthetics and Orthotics International found that offloading knee braces significantly increase pain-free walking distance for patients with medial knee osteoarthritis. The UniReliever and the Unloader One X were both effective, with patients doubling their pain-free walking distance over six weeks.

The introduction of bone-anchored prostheses has created new challenges in defining the roles and responsibilities of certified prosthetists and orthotists, certified prosthetist Brian Kaluf writes in the Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics. Recent revisions to the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics' Scope of Practice now include postsurgical provision of BAPs within the CPO scope, although invasive procedures remain outside independent CPO activities. Reimbursement issues persist, with a new L-code addressing connector costs but not the full spectrum of prosthetic care. Regulatory pathways for BAPs are complex, involving FDA Class III device status and multiple access routes, impacting care management.

A study in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials introduces a crab-inspired auxetic metamaterial for transtibial prosthetic liners and sockets, improving comfort by redistributing stress and enhancing energy absorption. The research found that the new material reduced peak stresses by up to 65% in liners and about 80% in sockets compared with traditional materials.

Researchers have created an innovative 3D printed prosthetic socket design that uses zero Poisson's ratio metamaterials to improve fit and comfort for amputees. By embedding these materials in pressure-sensitive zones, the design aims to optimize pressure distribution and reduce stress on the residual limb and alleviate common issues such as pain and skin abrasion associated with traditional sockets.

A microprocessor knee-ankle-foot orthosis has helped farmer Dennis Leonard regain mobility after shingles caused severe nerve damage. "We were really trying to give him the best device out there so that he can go back and do all the things," said Lyndzie Motcheck, a certified orthotist and prosthetist at Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics. After receiving the device, Leonard said that it was like "winning the lotto."