The medi 4C® flex is a hyperextension brace to be used for the orthotic fitting of the lumbar spine/thoracic spine and only on unbroken skin. With a toggle-type fastener, the medi 4C flex features a moveable hip bar and an adjustable chest.
The orthotic is designed to be used for:
- Compression fractures in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine.
- Care after surgery on vertebral body fractures.
- Medium-term immobilization after intervertebral disc surgery.
- Care after decompression surgery of the spine.
Fractures
Fractures to the thoracic and lumbar spine are often the result of great trauma, like from a car accident or accident during physical activity.
Whether a flexion fracture, extension fracture, or rotation fracture, there is often a lot of pain or even other neurologically based symptoms associated with the condition.
Most of these injuries can be treated with bracing and, over time, a gradual increase in mobility can resume.1
1OrthoInfo – American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2020.
Intervertebral Disc Surgery
Intervertebral disc surgery removes the discs found in between the vertebrae of the spine. When the discs are damaged or as we age, it is sometimes necessary to remove them as they no longer act as a buffer between bones and often create pain or instability instead.1
1Winchester Hospital, 2021.
Metastases
Metastases of the spine are one of the most common types of tumors found there, and metastasis is most often discovered in the thoracic and lumbar regions. Among those dealing with metastases, pain is the most common symptom – often experienced at night, and usually deep or aching rather than stabbing and superficial – unless there is some neurological connection to the cause of pain. When tumors spread throughout the spinal column, one may even experience immobility or weakness.1
When surgery is not an option, bracing and/or therapy may be the next best method of treatment to alleviate some of the symptoms caused by metastases. You, along with your doctor, should decide which treatment is the best option for you.
1U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 2020.
Laminectomy
A surgery intended to relieve pressure in the spine, a laminectomy removes the lamina, which is the back of vertebrae, to make room for the spinal cord. This pressure can be the result of spurs on the spine, which are often found in those dealing with arthritis. They shrink the amount of space in your spinal column that is available for nerves and the spinal cord, causing pain or numbness that often travels down the body. Though the procedure does create space, it does not rid a patient of the underlying ailment: arthritis. This means a patient is relieved of symptoms from the pinched nerves, but not necessarily of pain from the spine itself. An orthotic is one of the best measures you can take to ensure ongoing recovery.1
1Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2020.