What's News

Plantarflexion Block: the Kangaroo Steps In If you have a patient who’s a candidate for the JumpStart Kangaroo and has challenges keeping the heel seated, a new option for the JumpStart Kangaroo blocks plantarflexion even better. The Super PF Block strap, threading through instep slits in both the foundation and the inner liner, secures the instep earlier, below the brace level, and then cinches the wrap-around support by crossing over itself (from both ends), secured by Velcro. To order it, simply choose the Super PF Block strap option on the Kangaroo order form.

DAFOs in the Dominican Republic: Live! We supplied some boxes of DAFOs to Amy Green, a PT on a visit to the Centro Especial Genesis (a school working to serve the needs of disabled children in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic). Amy told us of this link to videos of DAFOs on their new young owners there: http://sidr-specialed-genesis.blogspot.com/search?q=dafo.

Let’s Skype This just in: for technical consultation on bracing strategies, we’ve begun doing live video sessions with clinicians and their patients. This happens on the internet using Skype and webcams. Skype (www.skype.com) is a piece of software that allows someone at a computer to communicate via the internet in real time with a person at another computer anywhere in the world—and it’s free! It’s best done using a laptop that you can take into the clinical area; laptops these days often come with webcams and microphones, but you can also use a desktop computer, a headset and a separate webcam. Using Skype, you can show a Cascade Technical Support person your patient, to help with brace style selection before ordering or to troubleshoot fit concerns after brace delivery. Need we spell out further the advantages of actually seeing a child’s gait in a DAFO while discussing bracing concerns? Of course, you can also simply send us video of the patient. For more information on any of this, visit www.cascadedafo.com or call our Tech Support staff, 800/848-7332.

Discontinued Trim Pattern: “Primary Trains” Leaves the Station Sad to say, our “Primary Trains” instep strap pattern has been discontinued. (The manufacturer has stopped making it.) Look for new trim patterns soon.

Video Helps Kids! A picture is worth a thousand words. In the pediatric bracing world, video is worth a million. When initial brace selection is a challenge or you’re troubleshooting fit concerns after receiving a brace, send us a video for consultation. Allowing Technical Support to see the patient move can make the difference in a bracing project’s success. An inexpensive way to capture video is the Flip VideoTM. The Flip Video comes equipped with all of the software you need to edit, save and send your footage to us. If you’re looking to purchase a Flip Video, models range from around $100 to $180. You can buy Flip Videos at Newegg.com, Best Buy and Amazon.com. To find out more, go to www.cascadedafo.com and click on Technical Support, Video Consultations or call Technical Support at 800/848-7332.