Friday, March 11, 2011

Custom Vs Prefabricated TLSOs - A Comparison of Two Approaches To Back Support

Custom and Prefabricated TLSOs

Definition of a "T.L.S.O."

A T.L.S.O. is an acronym that stands for, thoracic, lumbar, sacral orthosis. Orthosis in this context is a fancy word for brace. - Essentially, this kind of brace helps to support your spine from just under your clavicle down to where your legs meet your body when you sit. There are different versions of this kind of brace, such as a low profile, mid profile and high profile design.

Prefabricated Designs

When someone gets a prefabricated TLSO they will be getting a brace that will help to support their spine. The benefits of a prefabricated TLSO is that can be delivered shortly after an order is placed for the brace. This usually means that the brace will be delivered within 24 hours, if not much sooner. Sometimes, time is such a critical part of the equation that a prefabricated orthosis might be the only option for the patient. These braces can be very helpful for people, under these circumstances, if you do not have time to get a custom made brace. This might be the biggest plus of getting one of these kinds of supports. - These braces actually can provide patients with support and that is also why they are used extensively by medical professionals today that do not have the capacity to make the custom orthoses themselves.

Custom Made TLSOs

It is hard to beat the support that a custom made TLSO can provide. Many people have contours that a prefabricated brace will try to address. Many times it may address a person's body type well, but it is really hard to beat the support levels of a custom made brace. With some prefabricated models, shear forces and rotational issues that are extremely important, may be lacking with a prefabricated design. This is at the center of the debate for medical professionals, including orthotists. - Custom made TLSOs are made from measurements and a cast of a person's body and in this way, an orthotist believes that they can help to control the areas that a prefabricated brace might miss on occasion. Better control of rotation and shear forces are some of the benefits of these kinds of orthoses (braces).

Where to Get a Custom or Prefabricated TLSO

When you need to get a back brace it is best to work with a local, licensed orthotist. If the individual is licensed, then individuals they have provided orthoses (braces) for at least one years time, passed rigorous tests and have studied the subject of orthotics for an extensive period of time. These individuals do not just show up, there is a lot of training that is involved and with experience comes an eye for detail that others might miss.

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