FAQs

Yes. Allen Orthopedic Labs requires an appointment. Please call 415.925.1333 to schedule. Appointment lengths vary dependent upon the scope of services to be provided that day.

If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us as soon as you become aware of the scheduling conflict.

Yes. A prescription from your primary care physician or referring physician is required for your visit.

As a new patient, you will be asked to provide insurance information and medical history. You may also print our patient information form ahead of time.

When you come to the office for your appointment, a practitioner will evaluate your condition, review your history, and discuss options depending on your specific needs and desires.

Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. We urge you to be fully aware of your policy’s provisions before your first appointment.

We will request authorization from your insurance company for the services to be provided. Upon authorization, we will submit a claim directly to the insurance company. Like other medical providers, you will be responsible for the remaining balance of services.

After you have part of your arm or leg amputated, there’s a chance you could feel pain in the limb that’s no longer there. This is known as phantom limb pain.

The most common treatments for phantom pain are medication, mirror treatment, stump stimulation, and cognitive therapies.

A prosthesis is not bionic. It is an artificial replacement for a missing limb or part of a limb. Although a prosthesis is never as natural as your own limb, it can help you do many things quite effectively.

Typically, 3 to 5 days after you have been casted we will custom fabricate your prosthesis in our state-of-the-art laboratory.

Our on-site lab allows us to design custom solutions faster than other orthotic and prosthetic services.

A prosthesis should fit snugly, though it may take you some time to acclimate using it. If you are experiencing pain, contact us immediately! Pain is a sign your prosthesis might need adjustment. Your body is constantly changing, and changes in the shape of your residual limb may require some modifications to your prosthesis.

Residual limbs tend to decrease in volume and size as prostheses improve circulation, which removes excess fluid from the residual limb’s tissues. Your limb can also change shape from wearing a prosthesis for some time.

Over the long term, some of the musculature in your residual limb may get smaller. Your body is constantly changing in response to pressures that are applied to it. Some of the muscles in your residual limb aren’t attached to the body parts they used to be attached to, and these muscles no longer do the same jobs they used to, so they get smaller over time.