When approaching a biomechanical assessment for new patients with a view to provision of foot orthoses, managing patient expectations should be at the forefront of any clinical plan. In my own experience, it is important to set realistic and achievable goals in forming a strong treatment alliance with your patient, particularly if provision of foot orthoses form part of that treatment. One of the phrases I commonly use before approaching foot orthoses is “footwear first” as I feel it is ineffective to provide expensive custom foot orthoses in poor, ill-fitting footwear.
Where supportive devices are required to stabilise a hypermobile or degenerative/arthritic foot, they will become far less effective in a flexible soled shoe that can be folded in half. At times, simply changing footwear to a supportive styled lace up shoe with a stiffer sole can eliminate the need for custom devices.
Ensuring the footwear can accommodate an orthotic device is of paramount importance. Selecting the right footwear for each individual foot type however may be considered a challenge. This is particularly the case if there is a history of foot ulceration, significant joint subluxation or a history of complex foot surgery.
Pressure lesions presenting on the fore-foot are often associated with ill-fitting footwear including reduced toe box volume and shape. It has also been suggested that continual wearing of poorly fitted footwear has been associated with joint pathologies and misalignment as well as fore-foot lesions, particularly of the medial and lateral border areas1,2,3. This also has a significant impact on patients with decreased sensation leading to increased repetitive pressure4, and patients presenting with peripheral arterial disease.
We know that people presenting with Rheumatoid or Psoriatic arthritis may also present with digital changes requiring a deeper toe box to accommodate any joint distortions. We also know from previous research that where ulceration has occurred in patients presenting with diabetes, that the risk for re-ulceration is 40% within in the first year after wound resolution with a further 60% risk after three years 9, 10. Even the commonly presenting hallux valgus can pose a problem when requiring additional width at the fore-foot of the shoe in an otherwise slender foot.
When selecting high street standard wide fitting footwear for hallux valgus, frequently the width is adequate at the forefoot although the rearfoot may not require the same room resulting in a “pistoning” heel. Occasionally, if there is a mild deviation of the hallux (grade 1 to 3 Manchester Scale)12 well fitted high street footwear or medical grade footwear may meet the patient’s individual requirements.
A review carried out by Frecklington et al.11 in 2018 found that the use of therapeutic footwear demonstrated a reduction in plantar pressure lesions, improvements in presenting pain and foot function along with walking velocity in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout and 1st MTP joint arthritis. Where therapeutic footwear can provide significant benefits for more at-risk or sensitive foot types, a comprehensive clinical evaluation must consider the individual patient needs. For example, a patient presenting with a large discrepancy in sizes between feet, along with a fixed bony equinus and a symptomatic limb length discrepancy of over 15mm, may be more suited to modular or bespoke footwear.
Another key consideration is the relationship the patient may have had with their previously loved elegant footwear. It’s often challenging to convince someone to move from a very narrow evening shoe to a more supportive, wider deeper option.
Thankfully, styles have vastly improved in recent years with more options in materials and styles. Consider having a candid conversation about how a certain shoe, that was perfectly acceptable some years ago, may now be a problem due to changes in the foot shape. This may be an effective and kind approach to convince someone to transition to more suitable footwear. Or at least to come to a compromise.
At PPL we pride ourselves on providing expert advice to our clients with respect to the selection of suitable footwear. Our team of technicians have amassed years of experience in prescription of footwear and are always happy to share their knowledge. For more information please click here
Please note 10am cut off for Stock Product orders on Thursday December 21st
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Customer Services Team on 021 4320277 or email orders@pplbiomechanics.com.
* These closing dates are not applicable to orders received under the terms of the HSE 5826 Plaster Room Products Framework Agreement. For orders and queries in relation to this framework, please contact keyaccounts@pplbiomechanics.com
Always consider individual presenting sensitivities prior to using adhesives such as a history of medical adhesive related injuries, known sensitivities or where heavily exuding wounds are present.
Please see the new expanded range of Fresco Felt and padding here
Any questions or if you need Fresco Felt Selection Support? Contact us
]]>PPL are proud to confirm that we are fully compliant with the new EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) 2017/745 which comes into force this Wednesday (26th May 2021).
PPL have navigated the challenges of Covid, and Brexit and we will continue to maintain our reliable supply chain as MDR now comes into force. MDR is complex and Brexit has led to further complications for the entwined medical device markets in Ireland and the UK.
PPL have been working hard to be ready for MDR D-Day and are thrilled we can say we have full compliance. We have been preparing since 2019 for the MDR changes. PPL have invested heavily in 2020/21 in our internal ISO 13485 compliant Quality Management System, People, and training on ISO 14971:2019 Application of risk management to medical devices.
Naturally, an increase in regulation leads to improvements for everyone in the supply chain, and therefore improvements in patient care. PPL are really excited to be part of this new chapter for medical devices.
We hope this information on PPL and MDR will enhance your understanding of the implications for Healthcare Professionals and their suppliers.
What is the MDR?
The EU 2017 Medical Device Regulation (MDR) replaces several Medical Device Directives which have been around since 1990. The new MDR brings about increased regulatory burden for manufacturers, importers, and distributers of Stock (Mass Produced) medical devices and includes changes for Custom-Made device manufacturers.
What is the purpose of MDR?
The purpose of MDR is to protect Patient Care/Clinical outcome in the EU. Patient care and clinical outcomes both directly related to the “safety of” and “safe use of” medical devices.
What is a Medical Device?
A medical device is a product that has a role in the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, prediction, prognosis, treatment, or alleviation of disease. The MDR applies to all medical devices [ranging from Class I (low risk devices) to Class III (high risk devices)].
What Medical Devices do PPL Manufacture and/or distribute?
PPL only manufacture and supply Class 1 (low risk devices), namely:
PPL’s Custom-made devices are all “truly custom” and manufactured based on a prescription. PPL do not manufacture or distribute patient-matched devices, which are generally found in the retail sector. MDR applies to patient-matched devices also.
Who is responsible for compliance with MDR?
The medical device manufacturer, importer, and distributer are responsible for MDR compliance. A compliant (i.e., Safe and Performing as Intended) medical device must have appropriate labelling, packaging and Instructions for Use available and a product recall/traceability system must be in place.
Typically, the healthcare professional (person authorised by law in each EU state) is responsible for the prescription/selection, fitting and use of the MDR compliant medical device.
HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority) is the Irish Competent Authority (CA) who is responsible for regulating the medical device market in Ireland. Manufacturers, Importers and Distributors who are placing products anywhere on the EU market must register with their local CA (such as HPRA for Irish entities). Manufacturers and Importers must register on Eudamed (the EU medical device database). PPL has completed its registration with the HPRA and is registered on Eudamed.
What Changes is MDR Making for PPL’s Customers?
You will have seen and will continue to see some changes in the labelling and Instructions for Use of the medical devices that PPL manufacture and distribute. Any imported devices shall include PPL’s name and address as the official EU Importer of the product.
What Changes is the MDR Making for Manufacturers, Importers and Distributers?
The MDR is a lot more comprehensive than the previous Directives (known as MDD). Where the old MDD had 23 articles, the MDR has a hefty 123, and comes in at nearly three times as many pages. While nothing from the old MDD has been lost, a lot has been added, including:
What do PPL’s customers need to do?
To prescribe a Custom-made Device you need to continue to follow PPL’s previous protocols.
That being; provide PPL with a written (any form) prescription for an individual patient. The prescription needs to contain the unique design specifications, PPL can support design queries, but the customer is responsible for medical device design and specifications.
Do I have to register with anyone to prescribe medical devices?
You do not need to register with local Competent Authorities such as the HPRA unless you are a Manufacturer, Importer or Distributor of medical devices on the EU market after 26th May 2021.
You do not need to register with local Competent Authorities such as the HPRA if you are adapting a medical device or applying an accessory to it (such as a Heel Raise), so long as you do so in compliance with the Manufacturer’s Instructions for Use which are provided with the EU MDR compliant medical device and the adaptation or accessory applied does not alter the devices intended purpose. [Refer to EU MDR Article 16 for more information]
PPL cannot offer any advice regarding who is and is not authorised to prescribe medical devices. This is a question for local Competent Authorities such as the HPRA to answer. MDR explicitly states that the person prescribing custom-made medical devices should be “a person authorised by national law”. The EU clarifies this is up to each Member State to establish what qualifications are required and typically in the EU this is a healthcare professional. [Refer to EU MDR Article 2 for more information]
What if I am buying Medical Devices from outside the EU?
Non-EU Manufacturers and Importers of medical devices into the EU market, must be registered in Eudamed and must comply with the applicable
The UK is implementing its own medical device regulatory system. This will be enabled through the powers created through the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill. The UK Competent Authority is MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) and is responsible for regulating the UK medical devices market. To place medical devices on the UK market a UK Responsible Person must be established, and the devices must be registered with MHRA.
The Northern Ireland protocol (known as Article 16) allows Northern Ireland to retain full access to the single market i.e. remains within the European Economic Area (EEA) and thus EU MDR compliance is required for medical devices distributed within this location.
What Changes will I see regarding Stock “Off-the Shelf” Medical Devices?
PPL distribute Stock “Off-the-Shelf” devices. The device manufacturer (and not PPL) is responsible for ensuring that their products are MDR compliant. PPL has been working with its suppliers of Stock “Off-the-Shelf” devices to ensure that the required updates to meet EU MDR requirements have been actioned.
PPL will continue to distribute MDD compliant Stock “Off-the-Shelf” devices (where devices were receipted into the PPL warehouse before Wednesday 26th May 2021). There is a period of adaption, in which customers will see the product labelling and Instructions of Use changing from the previous MDD requirements to the new MDR Compliance requirements.
PPL only distribute quality brands and medical devices from reputable partners. We have been working with all our suppliers since 2019 to ensure that PPL can continue to supply the brands and products our customers want to prescribe.
Will MDR compliance be enforced?
Yes – MDR compliance will be enforced by local Competent Authorities such as the HPRA. HPRA will use a risk-based approach to verify compliance of manufacturers, importers, and distributors of medical devices over the coming months and years. Notified Bodies such as NSAI, BSI, DEKRA and TUV are also responsible for ensuring adherence to the regulation during their annual client audits and certification of client Quality Management Systems.
]]>Silipos, Podotech components and key materials including Aortha EVA, Poron and wedge strips.
Due to high demand, we have added an additional date. All slots for Thursday 18th are now full. Please register to attend on Thursday 25th February.
Thomas Twomey - PPL's Sales Manager
At PPL, we greatly admire the work of Dr. David Armstrong within the diabetic foot area. David's research and contributions have helped us to develop our evidence based product porfolio over the past number of years. We are very excited to learn of an upcoming CPD session which David will be providing for Gael CPD (Emily Haworth and Seán Savage). Please find all relevant information below and for any queries please contact Emily or Sean directly via the links in Eventbrite.
Dr. David Armstrong is Professor of Clinical Surgery at the University of Southern California. Dr. Armstrong holds a Masters of Science in Tissue Repair and Wound Healing from the University of Wales College of Medicine and a Ph.D. from the University of Manchester College of Medicine, where he was appointed Visiting Professor of Medicine. He is the founder and co-director of the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA).
Dr. Armstrong has produced more than 510 peer-reviewed research papers in dozens of scholarly medical journals as well as over 90 book chapters. He is co-editor of the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) “Clinical Care of the Diabetic Foot”, now in its third edition.
Armstrong was appointed Deputy Director of Arizona’s Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation (ACABI) and co-founder of its “augmented human” initiative, which places him at the nexus of the merger of consumer electronics, wearables, and medical devices.
]]>Order online
View full price list
]]>In rising to the many challenges of Covid-19, PPL like you, have made changes to the way we do things. We are working to improve our services and ensure we can continue to fulfill orders in a timelier manner for our full range of custom devices and stock products. In 2021, we will be updating and extending our Custom Made products and services …. watch this space!
As our customers know, we like talking to you, however taking orders and payments over the phone is very time consuming and “clogs up” our phone lines. We are therefore offering quicker order fulfilment times to customers who place orders by email / online and pay by Direct Debit / online.
Please read our services update below to help us to help you by delivering the services and products that best suit your needs.
A personal and high level of customer and technical support remains a priority for the team at PPL. Emails with “call me back” queries or requests will be prioritised.
In the New Year we will be extending our Online Ordering facilities to encompass Custom Devices.
How? |
Where? |
What? |
|
Custom & Stock Products |
|
Online |
www.pplbiomechanics.com |
Stock Products Only |
Post |
PPL Biomechanics Tramore Commercial Park Tramore Road Cork |
Custom & Stock Products |
Phone |
021 4320277 |
Stock Products Only |
Payment Options |
How Does it Work? |
Conditions |
SEPA Monthly Direct Debit Payment Custom Made & Stock Products |
PPL issue you with an end of month statement, and 14 days later monies due will be paid. To apply Email accounts@pplbiomechanics.com |
Have a PPL customer account with 6 months history of timely payment history. (New customers may apply with references) |
Online Payments Stock Products only
|
Set up an online account www.pplbiomechanics.com/account/register Stock products can be gathered in your cart throughout the week to minimise delivery costs. When you are ready to place the order checkout and pay by credit or debit card. |
None, other than being a medical practitioner. |
Pay by Phone or Post Custom Made & Stock Products |
Orders can be taken by email, online, post or by phone and PPL will place them on hold until payment is received. |
None, other than being a medical practitioner. |
Customers who avoid placing or paying for orders over the phone will have their orders prioritised.
Order Method |
Payment Method |
Typical Turnaround Time(Working Days - Order Receipt to Dispatch) |
Email or Online Order |
Direct Debit |
1 (next) Day Orders accepted before 1pm |
Order Online |
Online |
2 Days |
Phone Order |
Direct Debit |
2 Days |
Email or Phone Order |
Pay by Phone |
3 Days |
We cannot guarantee Order Turnaround or Delivery Times due to factors beyond our control. |
We are now manufacturing our full range of Custom Devices and can confirm our Typical Turnaround Times. We will be closing over the Christmas period on Wednesday 23rd December and re-open on Monday 4th January.
Product |
Typical Turnaround TimeWorking Days Order Receipt to Dispatch |
Christmas ShutdownOrders Received before these dates will be Dispatched on or before Tuesday 22nd December |
Prescription Insoles |
5 Days |
Wednesday 16th December |
Carbonflex Devices |
5 Days |
Wednesday 16th December |
Alterations / Refurbishments |
5 Days |
Wednesday 16th December |
CAD CAM Custom Orthoses |
10 Days |
Wednesday 9th December |
Handmade Custom Orthoses |
15 Days |
Wednesday 2nd December |
We cannot guarantee Order Turnaround or Delivery Times due to factors beyond our control. Please note orders for Custom Devices (including repeat orders) cannot be accepted by phone. |
]]>
This year, PPL will be closing for the Christmas period on Wednesday 23rd December and will reopen on Monday 4th January 2021.
Orders received before these dates will be dispatched on or before Tuesday 22nd December.
Note: If not signed up to Direct Debit payment, orders must also be activated by payment by these dates.
Product Type | Christmas Shutdown |
---|---|
Prescription Insoles | Wednesday 16th December |
Carbonflex | Wednesday 16th December |
Alterations & Refurbishments | Wednesday 16th December |
CAD CAM Custom Orthoses | Wednesday 9th December |
Handmade Custom Orthoses | Wednesday 2nd December |
We cannot guarantee Order Turnaround or Delivery Times due to factors beyond our control.
Orders for weekly delivery scheduled during our closedown will be dispatched on Tuesday 22nd December.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Customer Services Team on 021 4320277 or email sales@pplbiomechanics.com.
Foot rehabilitation is an integral part of foot orthosis design and provision, both for the intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles and lower limb generally. The foot therapy ball, which is proven to assist in generating higher digital pressures in gait after only 6 weeks use (4), is one of several exercises that offer patients simple yet effective forms of rehabilitation. We know the plantar intrinsic are important, and here briefly is why:
The intrinsics are suggested to be important in supporting the medial long arch in conjunction with the plantar fascia (5; 6), and in so reducing the stress on the plantar fascia (7; 8). However, several studies indicate the plantar intrinsics only play a limited role if any, in the dynamic medial long arch profile changes in gait, assessed through monitoring the changes in navicular drop (3; 8). It would appear that intrinsic activity does some stiffening effect on the foot but not the longitudinal arch (3). The arch reaches its lowest height in gait just before heel lift (9), and rather than limiting the actual drop, increased intrinsic activity results in a later navicular low point in late midstance (8). This probably leaves some ‘extra’ energy-absorbing properties in the arch later into midstance than if navicular drop is early.
With increased activity, plantar intrinsics are able to reduce vertical ground reaction forces in the latter half of stance phase, without reducing the velocity of progression forces that result in power generation in the foot during the propulsive phase of gait (8). That means they are dissipating energy as shock absorbers without the foot losing elastic energy. The foot generates around 8-17% of the energy that used to drive us forward (2;10) at propulsion and that is important in helping to reduce the metabolic costs of walking and running. Intrinsics are able to reduce tissue stress yet allow the foot to retain its important elastic recoil ability. The energy that the intrinsics dissipate is probably achieved through the activity of the muscle-tendon complexes through the stretch-shortening cycle, a well know ‘method’ of ‘energy absorption’ by muscles (11;12).
In absorbing energy from the vertical ground reaction forces there is less GRF energy to strain the plantar fascia. Therefore, plantar intrinsics may be important for the protection of the plantar aponeurosis. Patients with plantar fasciitis have been shown to have less volume (13) and less cross-sectional area in their intrinsics than plantar fasciitis free age-matched controls (14). This suggests the ability of the intrinsics to absorb energy may be protecting the plantar fascia from higher tensional stresses. It appears that stronger, larger intrinsic foot muscles may result in stiffer longitudinal arches, as this is found in those who habitually use minimal footwear (15).
Although not directly influencing the longitudinal arch height, plantar intrinsic play an important role in stiffening the forefoot and stabilising the metatarsal phalangeal joints during the terminal part of stance phase, when it is essential that the power generated at the ankle are converted into large ground reaction forces through a stiff foot acting as a lever to propel forward on (3; 8). Abductor hallucis and quadratus plantae may also play a role in activating the reverse windlass effect before initial heel contact as both these muscles are active in terminal swing and into early stance phase (16), giving them a potential role in impact energy dissipation.
We have only listed here some of the roles of the plantar intrinsic muscles, there are actually quite a few more. So the answer is….. YES!, the plantar intrinsics are very important.
Discover Our Rehab Product Range
Images courtesy of HealthyStep UK.
]]>COVID-19 crisis has changed our lives and the ways to treat DF patients, especially in those countries who suffer the lockdown period. The close follow-up and patient’s compliance are key in preventing DFU, and one of the main factors is the continuous use of Therapeutic Footwear whole the day, regardless of the patient is at home or outside.
Nine Key Speakers from the Diabetic Foot Area:
Length - 2 Hours
Length - 1 Hour
In this course you will learn the foundational truth of the Tissue Stress Model, and how it correlates to the foot and other soft tissue in the body, allowing the clinician to understand end range tissue stress effects.
Length - 1 Hour
COVID-19 crisis has changed our lives and the ways to treat DF patients, especially in those countries who suffer the lockdown period. The close follow-up and patient’s compliance are key in preventing DFU, and one of the main factors is the continuous use of Therapeutic Footwear whole the day, regardless of the patient is at home or outside.
Nine Key Speakers from the Diabetic Foot Area:
Supporting the HSE throughout this crisis is PPL's top priority. We encourage you to contact us with any queries which you may have over the coming weeks. We have already answered some queries from practitioners and we plan to share these answers with the rest of you to provide clarity. As we are currently working with a reduced staff, you can facilitate us helping you in the most timely manner by contacting us as outlined below:
We will continue to update our customers via email, however if you have missed any of our correspondence please visit the "News" page to review. We also encourage you to follow us on our social media platforms which are linked here at the bottom of this email. We would love to follow you back and keep up to date with how you are all doing also.
As we are currently working with a reduced staff, you can facilitate us helping you in the most timely manner by contacting us as outlined...
]]>As we are currently working with a reduced staff, you can facilitate us helping you in the most timely manner by contacting us as outlined below:
HSE Practitioners
PPL’s Priorities Remain, our Employees, Customers and their Patients
Supplying and supporting HSE practitioners will remain our top priority. However, we have in no way forgotten our private practitioners and their patients. We hope to work with you by sharing information and doing all we can to save your patients from the hands of “Dr. Google"!
PPL has been around for quite a while, we have hung on during numerous rollercoaster rides and we intend to hang on during this one too. The speed and ferocity of this COVID-19 ride is unpleasant, and we know that it will be tricky to keep all onboard. However, we are going to try our best to do just that.
Part of PPL’s contribution to the National Effort will be to provide frontline staff (as best as we can, and for as long as we can) with the supplies and services you need to keep your “show on the road”. We aim to communicate with you weekly to update you with our situation throughout this crisis.
Like you, I am a medical practitioner, I understand the risks of COVID-19 and therefore two weeks ago whilst giving another Health & Safety update on COVID-19 to the PPL team, it was evident to me that we needed to close our business immediately. We had 30 employees in our space which we felt was unsafe, for even one more day.
During the week of temporary closure, we organised ourselves into a smaller team of 10 key employees to facilitate continuity of supply. Where possible, we worked totally remotely, however some of us were required to partially attend the PPL workplace. Whilst in our workplace, we are confident that our small team are following our revised Health & Safety Policy, which is in-line with the current HSE and Government advice on social distancing, hygiene and safe work practices.
We have contacted HSE Procurement and other relevant bodies seeking advice in terms of what they wish medical device companies (such as PPL) to do, as well as of course offering our full support in any way. From the information we have to date, and following conversation with several of you on the ground in the HSE expressing a need for supply, we have used our common sense and re-opened the business safely. We will continue to comply with all the HSE and government’s advice, as they continue to update us.
We have now resumed operating with a skeleton staff and are running limited services currently as follows:
Some of you will have taken difficult decisions recently in terms of your businesses and staff. PPL has unfortunately had similar experiences before, it took a while, but we did bring our team back to work in time, and we will work continually on our ever-changing business continuation plan.
As a final note, many of you have attended our training courses down through the years. You may recall our advice regarding a holistic approach to managing and providing the best care we can for our patients, by gathering as many “tools in our toolkit” as we can (rehab, orthotic prescription, common sense, evidence and knowledge). Presently, we are all working through this crisis, using tools we didn’t even know we had, gaining great respect for things we previously dismissed, staying as positive as we can, and just trying to do the best we can for all.
The Irish people have a history of sticking together and remaining resilient through difficult times. We are certain that this will be another example of such, and we will all persevere by helping each other. None of us are enjoying this rollercoaster ride, but we must laugh when we get the chance to ensure we “mind our heads” and hang on tight!
If there is anything, we can assist you with in the coming weeks, please feel free to give us a call or email and we will do our upmost to help in whatever way we can.
Sincerely,
Joanne McKenna
Managing Director
We are delighted to inform you that we have now completed Health & Safety protocols to enable us to reopen with a reduced skeleton of staff effective from Monday 23.03.2020. We will be in position to provide most of the products and services we normally provide, however there may be some changes in the level and speed of services.
As for all of us, this week has been a rollercoaster for the team at PPL and we were forced to take decisions which we would have preferred not to. However, we recognise that we too are responsible for playing our part as best as we can in supporting the national effort. We are dedicated to supporting the HSE and other medical clinics during this national crisis, as best as we can.
We will be operating with minimal staff on-site at PPL with a number of key staff continuing to work remotely from their homes. We are satisfied that this small team can safely return to work and adhere to the government's advice regarding social distancing. As we will be operating with a skeleton staff, some orders may not be processed within our standard guaranteed times. However, we will do our utmost to keep any potential delays to a minimum. We will be prioritising HSE orders to ensure that the most at-risk patient groups are catered for immediately.
As the situation is changing daily, we will continue to keep you informed of any further changes. We will continue to follow the government's advice and put our employees' welfare first. If you have any queries regarding your orders, please continue to contact us on 021 4320277 or email sales@pplbiomechanics.com.
We hope all our customers are keeping as well as possible during this sudden whirlwind crisis that COVID-19 has landed upon us all.
Sincerely,
Joanne McKenna
Managing Director
]]>As the COVID-19 situation countrywide has escalated since Friday afternoon, PPL will be closing our factory and offices for the coming week, in the interest of employee safety. We are currently working with a skeleton staff for today only and aim to dispatch all orders possible this afternoon. In the coming days, we aim to provide order status updates to anyone who has placed an order which will not be dispatched today.
We will continue to operate with a skeleton staff remotely and will respond to your phone / email queries as quickly as possible. The health and welfare of our employees is our priority, however our customers are our next priority.
This is not the first major challenge which our company has faced throughout the years. Our experienced Management Team will continue making the best decisions to ensure that we return operating as normal, as soon as is safe and possible. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding, we hope you and yours stay safe and healthy throughout this difficult period.
If you have any queries please continue to contact us on 021 4320277 or email sales@pplbiomechanics.com.
Sincerely,
Joanne McKenna
Company Director
]]>
|
This two-day course has been developed for postgraduate medical practitioners with minimal experience in orthotic prescription writing and will encompass theory and practical workshops. This multidisciplinary course is delivered jointly by Sharon Morris Physiotherapist (MSc. Biomechanics) Galway City Physio and Joanne McKenna, Podiatrist. This intensive workshop-based course aims to enable practitioners to:
The objective of this course is to give practitioners the knowledge, skills and confidence to biomechanically assess their patient, quantify the prescription, clinically reason the most appropriate type of device to prescribe, cast if appropriate and develop a treatment plan looking at all modalities available.
Applicants should hold a medical qualification of Level 7 or above (BSc. Physiotherapy, BSc. Podiatry etc). Experience of orthotic prescription is desirable, but not a pre-requisite. However, all applicants must be working / seeking employment within the medical industry in Ireland or the UK.
This course costs €350 (early bird €325, when paid before March 24th) which includes lunch, tea & coffee, printed notes and a PPL prescription platform kit. CPD point value of 14. Discounts available for recent graduates, return attendees and group bookings. Contact us for further details.
This year PPL will be closing on Friday 20th December and will reopen on Thursday 2nd January 2020.
Last date & time for orders to be guaranteed dispatch before Christmas:
Standard Casted & CAD CAM | Friday 13th Dec - up to 10am |
Standard Carbonflex & Alterations | Tuesday 17th Dec - up to 10am |
Standard Prescription Insoles, Fast Track Casted & CAD CAM | Wednesday 18th Dec - up to 10am |
Fast Track Carbonflex & Fast Track Alterations | Thursday 19th Dec - up to 10am |
Fast Track Prescription Insoles | Friday 20th Dec - up to 10am |
Traded goods | Friday 20th Dec - up to 12pm |
Orders for weekly delivery scheduled during the holiday period will be dispatched on Friday 20th December.
]]>It has been quite a while since our last Newsletter, so we have many topics to update you on this month regarding the following topics:
We have added a wide range of products to our portfolio over the past number of months and we will be sending you further information on specific ranges over the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for updates from the following brands, or visit our website for further details.
A prospective study published this month in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, suggests that consumer behaviour towards footwear may predispose them to injury.
It concludes the following;
"Caring for right fitting during the purchase of footwear is protective against developing injuries. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to buy appropriately sized footwear. Participants who had bought their footwear after a gait analysis had an increased risk of a lower extremity injury. This is possibly due to the fact that runners/walkers with a history of previous injuries are the ones who choose to undergo a gait analysis. People might think that after a gait analysis, they are protected against injuries but this seems not to be true. Therefore, runners or walkers who buy prescribed footwear after a gait analysis, should still be aware that this footwear does not prevent injuries from occurring".
As you may be aware, we have recently updated our website layout. This has massively improved ease of use for our customers. Our refined filtering options will be of particular use in assisting with prescriptions.
Click the image above to view a short video on the navigation of our new website to discover its ease of navigation. This brief example shows how to narrow down the options of X-Line devices for 1st MPJ dysfunction.
Our next Two Day Intermediate Level Biomechanics Course will be held in the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin on the 18th & 19th October. Spaces are limited, so book your place now to avoid disappointment. Review full course details and link to application form via the link below.
The looming uncertainty of the timing and ultimate impact of Brexit has been ever-present this year. To mitigate against any delivery issues, we have taken every precaution in terms of bolstering our stock levels.
As a small to medium sized Irish company, we are ever grateful for our customers' loyalty, and will continue to ensure that we are in a position to provide the level of service and excellence they have come to expect.
]]>X-Line stock foot orthoses have been central to our range for a number of years. This brand has experienced considerable growth over the last 18 months. This influenced our decision to extend our X-Line range to include 6 further devices.
Our most popular device within the range has been the X-Line TPD, a highly stable option for Tib Post Dysfunction. A lower strength alternative is now available in the form of the TPD 50 Light. This is of particular use to teenagers that have outgrown the Pedipod device.
The new X-Line Standard is a basic insole which can be easily adapted using the new X-Line Wedges. The RIF is a reinforced version of the Standard, while the 70 Firm is a very high density version of the Standard, which is machinable allowing for full customisation.
Finally, the Vectorthotic represents a customisable, off-the-shelf solution for patients seeking a firmer insole. Each kit contains a polypropylene composite shell, top covers and a range of clip-in rearfoot/forefoot posts.
|
This two-day course has been developed for postgraduate medical practitioners with minimal experience in orthotic prescription writing and will encompass theory and practical workshops. This multidisciplinary course is delivered jointly by Sharon Morris Physiotherapist (MSc. Biomechanics) Galway City Physio and Joanne McKenna, Podiatrist. This intensive workshop-based course aims to enable practitioners to:
The objective of this course is to give practitioners the knowledge, skills and confidence to biomechanically assess their patient, quantify the prescription, clinically reason the most appropriate type of device to prescribe, cast if appropriate and develop a treatment plan looking at all modalities available.
Applicants should hold a medical qualification of Level 7 or above (BSc. Physiotherapy, BSc. Podiatry etc). Experience of orthotic prescription is desirable, but not a pre-requisite. However, all applicants must be working / seeking employment within the medical industry in Ireland or the UK.
This course costs €350 (early bird €325, when paid before September 18th) which includes lunch, tea & coffee, printed notes and a PPL prescription platform kit. CPD point value of 14. Discounts available for recent graduates, return attendees and group bookings. Contact us for further details.
Orliman is an innovative orthopaedic company from Spain which has been manufacturing premium quality devices for over 70 years. We recognised the quality and affordability of these products and over the past 18 months we have added a wide range of their products to our ever growing portfolio. The most popular product within our Orliman range is the Boxia Drop Foot AFO.
The full range includes walker boots, AFOs, ankle braces, night splints, plantar fascia and achilles tendinopathy rehab devices. Included within these product groups are a number of paediatric specific devices. Click on the images below for full details.
]]>