Brigid Driscoll: Aligning physical therapy and orthotics in idiopathic toe-walking & cerebral palsy

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Brigid Driscoll

Senior Physical Therapist & Orthotist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

This interview is packed with practical tips, brilliant insights, and golden nuggets to take away. We get into the weeds of idiopathic toe-walking, CP, and orthotic devices but just as importantly, we explore the realities of bringing clinical work and evidence-based practice into alignment (excuse the pun).

Because this interview has such a practical focus, I do need to state that all advice is in this and all wiredOn interviews are general information for our individual growth and learning and are not meant as treatment or clinical advice, even when we are discussing specific clinical cases.

Therapy in pediatric neurodisabilty is both an art and a science and Brigid Driscoll brings these together so eloquently in this wiredOn interview. I know you are going to get so much value out of this interview -

Enjoy!

For handy links to things we've discussed in this interview, scroll down to the Resources Section at the bottom of the page.

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Podcast Highlights

Time Stamps in green

5:40 minutes- Getting a second degree
7:20 minutes- The casting program
9:14 minutes - What exactly is Center of Mass?
12:43 minutes- What makes a success rate of 90%
19:00 minutes- Research
22:39 minutes- Research gaps - it’s inconsistent
24:05 minutes- The casting protocol
27:42 minutes- SVA vs Vertical Tibia
29:00 minutes- Hinged vs Solid
30:57 minutes- The importance of a posterior COM
33:49 minutes- The unique design of the AFOs

Questions

36:00 minutes- Fighting discomfort and pain in a 13 year old who has ITW
39:40 minutes- Late onset toe walking
42:50 minutes- When to intervene with flat feet and red flags
46:12 minutes- Using GRAFOs
50:23 minutes- Bracing and muscle weakness
56:30 minutes- SMOs vs AFOs vs wait-and-see in early ITW
1:03:46 minutes- Skin break down in orthotics and communicating with orthotists