American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists

09/03/2026

Comfort and function play an important role in how pediatric prosthesis users experience their devices. In this multi-center study of 52 children with unilateral lower limb amputation, perceived prosthetic comfort and functionality were independently associated with overall satisfaction, reinforcing the importance of patient-centered approaches that prioritize socket comfort and functional performance.

🔗 Read the full study: https://doi.org/10.3390/children13081013

09/03/2026

This Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) from Lisa Abernethy, MS, L/CPO, and Alyssa Davis, MS, of Baylor College of Medicine examines the evidence surrounding positional plagiocephaly, dental alignment, and mandibular symmetry.

Their appraisal identifies a pattern between plagiocephaly and mandibular asymmetry while underscoring limitations in the current literature, including the absence of before-and-after intervention comparisons to evaluate the effects of cranial remolding orthosis treatment.

Explore the full CAT here: https://www.oandp.org/cat-abernethy

09/02/2026

A chance meeting between two endurance athletes became a story of persistence, friendship, and a path back to mobility. After completing a Half Ironman while experiencing debilitating pain, amputee athlete Michael Everett underwent surgery and is now working toward being properly fit with a new prosthesis, with hopes of returning to endurance racing.

As his friend Jay Greenbaum reflected, “Talk to everyone. Be kind to everyone. You never know when one conversation is going to change someone else’s life — or your own.”

https://buff.ly/D8ptK7A

A chance meeting at a Queens gym led Hewlett triathlete Jay Greenbaum to help fellow endurance athlete Michael Everett overcome chronic pain, raise money for life-changing surgery and begin his journey back to racing.

09/02/2026

Heading to Las Vegas for the AOPA National Assembly next week? So are we! Stop by Booth #1016 to connect with Membership Manager Rachel Sparks and discover more ways to get involved with the Academy, from membership and Special Interest Groups to Scientific Societies, the reimagined Fellow program, and .

Come say hello, ask questions, and find new ways to connect with your O&P community. We’ll see you in Vegas!

09/02/2026

Academy Fellowship is entering a new era. Fellows will no longer complete a separate five-year renewal process. Instead, Fellowship will be maintained through annual Academy membership, while the rigorous standards for earning this distinguished recognition remain unchanged.

Learn more about what the changes mean for current and future Fellows: https://buff.ly/sr6bfaa

09/01/2026

Did you know the O&P Knowledge Central homepage is regularly updated with the latest and most popular content from across the OPKC catalog, including trending courses, top-selling programs, and curated recommendations?

Today’s Staff Pick is Management of the Neuromuscular Spine.

Presented by Mark Holowka, MSPO, CPO, FAAOP(D), this course examines neuromuscular conditions affecting the spine and the clinical challenges they present, with discussion of evaluation, orthotic design and problem-solving, and treatment options including HALO traction, EDF casting, TLSO use, and surgical interventions.

Learn more: https://www.oandpknow.org/courses/96555

09/01/2026

How does lateral wedge insole height influence knee alignment and patient-reported outcomes in medial knee osteoarthritis? This randomized controlled trial found that, among the clinically tolerable heights tested, a 12 mm wedge provided the best balance of biomechanical effect and tolerability, while the lateral wedge insole group also demonstrated improvements in pain and total scores compared with controls.

🔗 Read the full study: https://buff.ly/X5LwTfX

08/31/2026

How does guideline-based AFO provision affect walking ability in individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease? This study found improvements in walking speed, energy cost, gait biomechanics, and perceived walking ability after three months, including among participants already using standard-care AFOs.

🔗 Read the full study: https://buff.ly/uoz1jW6

08/31/2026

Virtual and extended reality may offer a new approach to managing phantom limb pain after amputation. Researchers and clinicians at the University of Georgia are developing a VR-based rehabilitation protocol designed to retrain neural pathways through guided exercises, with ongoing work exploring its use alongside prosthetic rehabilitation.

When a 15-year-old girl from Alabama lost her left arm and right leg in a shark attack off the Gulf Coast of Florida, doctors in North Carolina helped her recover—using technology developed in large part by a team of University of Georgia researchers. Lulu Gribbin spent 77 days at OrthoCarolina’...

08/28/2026

Researchers in the UK and Ukraine are collaborating with people with limb loss to develop prosthetic sockets designed to adapt to changes in residual limb shape, volume, heat, and humidity.

🔗 Read more:

Lancaster University researchers are working with their Ukrainian counterparts and UK amputees to make prosthetic limbs more comfortable for injured military personnel in the war.