Yes, an appointment time is highly recommended to ensure there is a practitioner who can service your needs. Walk-ins are welcomed on a first-come, first serve basis and may experience longer wait times or require scheduling an appointment at a later time or date.

Yes, while consultation visits are available without a prescription, ultimately, a prescription is required from your physician before an item can be fit and delivered. In some cases, our office will assist you in obtaining the required prescription and documentation.

Yes, we accept and file most major insurances, including Medicare Plans, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans, Medcost, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, United Healthcare, First Carolina Care, and many more.

Insurance coverage is determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the prescribed device and your specific plan coverage. Our Administrative Staff can assist you in determining your coverage benefits and any personal financial obligation.

No, you are not required to pay a copay for Orthotic and/or Prosthetic services.

You need to bring your prescription, insurance cards, and photo ID to your initial appointment. Depending on the prescribed item, you will need to bring tennis shoes, any old or current brace you have worn or are wearing, shorts to fit certain leg/knee braces, and an assistive device if needed for ambulation.

Please contact our office if you are having any problems with your device. You do not need to wait until your next scheduled appointment. If it is after office hours, you can contact the practitioner on call at 910-639-1663.

It is both normal and very understandable. After all, you have had something permanently removed which was a part of you all of your life. It is not only natural to go through a grieving process, but it also can be beneficial. Feelings of anger (why me?), denial, crying easily, feeling depressed and despondent are all a part of the grieving process. Don’t be afraid to express these feelings. They are not something you should be ashamed of and are very understandable responses to the loss you have experienced. In time, with the support of family and friends, healthcare professionals, and other amputees, it will become easier to accept what has happened.

Each of us has our own timetable for healing. Certain factors play a definite role. The cause of an amputation is one factor. A patient with diabetes frequently takes longer to heal after surgery. You can help the process along by following your physician’s directions. Be patient, try to relax, take one day at a time, and do as much as you are allowed to do.

Severe discomfort or pain in the missing limb(s) is referred to as phantom pain. Phantom pain is experienced, to some degree, by most amputees. The sensation is that of an intact part which may feel entirely normal at times and at other times be uncomfortable. It is often explained as resembling the tingling sensation you experience if a hand or foot had “fallen asleep”, or the limb may feel as if it is swollen. Many people are not aware of their phantom pain during active days, most experience the phantom sensation at the end of the day or activity, at rest, or at night. Those who experience this find, in most instances, that it decreases with time.

No, and a variety of factors enter into the decision. First, your overall health is a consideration. For example, it may not be advisable for an individual with a serious heart condition to wear a prosthesis. A prescription from a physician is required for a prosthesis, so discuss this with your doctor. Some people try a prosthesis and then decide that they prefer to function without it. Remember, what is important is that you do what is best for you. It is possible to be a wheelchair user and still be very independent.

Simply defined, a prosthesis is a man-made device that will replace your amputated limb. A prosthesis is not something that can be ordered from a catalog. Each is custom-designed for its user. It will be made to the specifications of your body measurements, residual limb length, and weight, as well as taking into consideration your age and lifestyle. Just as it will take time to make the correct prosthesis for you, it will take time for you to adapt to use it. Do not expect the prosthesis to be an exact replacement of your natural limb. However, in time, you will be amazed at how much you will be able to do with your prosthesis.

The actual period between your surgery and the first fitting of your prosthesis depends on how quickly you heal. Your suture line must be closed, and there must be no drainage or open wound apparent on your residual limb. Your general health must also be at a status that will allow you to tolerate the required physical therapy exercises. A physician’s prescription is required to get a prosthesis.

After you have had an evaluation and are healed enough for the residual limb to be worked on, an impression will be taken of the leg or arm remaining using fiberglass casting technique or similar material to form a negative mold of the residual limb. In most cases our company prefers to utilize the latest in technology, Tracer CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) software. A positive mold will be formed from this mold following modification by the prosthetist to produce a custom socket. The socket is then attached to other components (foot, knee, hand, elbow, etc.) and many alignment adjustments are then made.

The first prosthesis made is referred to as a temporary or early fitting prosthesis. It is a functional prosthesis, but not always a cosmetically finished one. This is your working model, and numerous modifications will be made. Your residual limb will continue to shrink. Your activity level will stimulate this shrinkage. To accommodate this, when the fit loosens, you will need to increase the number of prosthetic socks you wear. Your therapist and prosthetist will advise you on this. A new prosthesis should be worn for short periods of time initially, and wearing time and walking time increased each day depending on individual situations. A prosthesis is always removed at night.

When your residual limb has reduced in size to the point where the socket no longer fits and/or no more adjustments can be made, your definitive prosthesis will be made. This will be formed to resemble your opposite limb as closely as possible.

This is a foot, which stores energy when the heel strikes the ground, and releases it when the wearer pushes off from the ball and toe of the foot. There are several different varieties of energy-storing feet that offer a pleasant lifting sensation and help support the hip for a more natural gait.

Unfortunately, there is no way to determine that because, as we mentioned before, your prosthesis is being made to suit you. The componentry used and your level of amputation will all be factors. The higher the level of amputation and the specific components used will determine the price. With upper limb prostheses (arms), whether they are body-powered or battery-powered will affect the cost.

Remember your prosthesis is being custom designed for you. Check into exactly what your insurance coverage will include and then discuss with your prosthetist as to what suits your needs.

When you are first starting with your leg prosthesis you will need to use some type of an assistive device. Your physical therapist will very possibly have you work with a progression of items such as a walker, quad cane, and regular cane, your general physical condition will also be a factor in determining what you use and how regularly you use it. Many times an amputee will use a cane when they are out, but not use one at home. All amputees have times that they don’t wear their prosthesis, so it is necessary to have some type of an assistive device that will allow mobility without the prosthesis.

Check with your insurance provider as to what their policy is regarding purchase or rental of assistive devices. Wheelchair users have many helpful devices for those who are regularly using a wheelchair. Transfer boards, grab poles for reaching items, and trapeze bars are all items, which can make life a lot easier. Be sure to talk to your physical therapist about what is most suitable for you to use. Most surgical supply stores will have booklets describing what equipment is available.