
“Every person is different”
Tamara John is an orthopaedic technician. Her profession combines medical expertise with innovative technology.

As a child, Tamara John wanted to become a doctor. “But I also always enjoyed working with my hands alongside my dad in his workshop. And I’ve always cared a lot about other people.” In her job she can combine all these different elements. “For me, it’s the perfect combination of medical expertise, manual dexterity and social interaction,” says John. The 27-year-old is a master of her craft and deputy orthotics team leader at a medical supply store with more than 250 employees in Gerlingen near Stuttgart.
Prosthetics is a branch of surgery that involves replacing missing arms and legs with prosthetic limbs. Orthotics support limbs, the torso or the head to compensate for missing functionality or malposition. And customised orthopaedic aids are tailored to the patient’s individual requirements and include specially moulded seats and therapy tables designed to make everyday life easier.
Individual aids
“A person might come to us with paralysis in the foot and in the arm, for instance following a stroke. We ascertain how much function they still have. But also ask about their personal circumstances. Are they able to don the aids themselves or do they require help?” explains John. Once a plan has been drawn up, a suitable aid is selected. If a ready-made product is not an option, a customised aid will be made. For more common injuries, like a cruciate ligament rupture, some good off-the-shelf products are available. “But they aren’t suitable for every situation, as every person is different.” Often a specialist medical solution tailored to the patient’s specific needs is required.
Technical innovations
Innovations have transformed every work step in this profession. Plaster casts have been complemented by computer scans. “In the past, braces would be held in place by straps: these were riveted aluminium splints that were covered with leather. These days of course other materials are used,” says John. “Like carbon fibre-reinforced materials, but also more and more 3D printing.” Prostheses feature myoelectric control and electronic and hydraulic joints. And functional electrical stimulation. “For example, a body suit that emits electrical impulses for patients with conditions such as multiple sclerosis.” This helps sufferers to cope better in the daily lives.

A wide-ranging and meaningful profession
John cannot recommend her profession highly enough. She says it has a secure future, as demographic changes and medical advances mean that demand for orthopaedic aids will only increase. And it is very wide-ranging and meaningful profession. “Recently I provided a patient with lower limb orthotics. Previously he always had to hold onto a stick or his wife. But now, thanks to the orthotics, he has become super mobile.”







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