An orthosis (or-THOH-sis) is an external device, such as a brace or splint, used to support, align, or improve the function of a part of the body that is weak, unstable, or deformed. It is the formal medical term for what is often casually called a brace or an orthotic. In CMT, orthoses are most often used at the foot and ankle, where weakness and instability are common, an AFO being the most familiar example.
A Name That Does Too Much Work
Jean-Martin Charcot's name appears throughout medicine, but nowhere does it create more confusion than in the foot. Learn why the CMT foot and Charcot neuroarthropathy, also known as Charcot foot, share a name yet differ in how they develop, appear, and are managed.
