orthosis

IPA/ɔːˈθəʊ.sɪs/
IPA/ɔːrˈθoʊ.sɪs/

orthosis — noun

  • orthosissingular
  • orthosesplural

1. a medical support worn on the outside of the body to hold a weak, injured, or un

1.nounC2
Definition

a medical support worn on the outside of the body to hold a weak, injured, or unusually shaped arm, leg, foot, or joint in a better position

Example

After the fracture, Eli wore a rigid orthosis on his wrist.

wear an orthosis on + body part

The therapist adjusted Sana's ankle orthosis before she walked across the room.

ankle orthosis for walking support

Common collocations
  • ankle orthosis
  • wrist orthosis
  • custom orthosis
  • wear an orthosis
Synonyms
  • brace

    the everyday word for a support worn on a body part such as the knee, back, or teeth

  • splint

    usually stresses keeping an injured part still, often for shorter-term treatment

Grammar Patterns

wear an orthosis

need an orthosis after an injury

fit an orthosis for the ankle

Usage Note

Usually countable in medical writing and physical-therapy contexts. It often follows a body-part noun, as in ankle orthosis or wrist orthosis. Brace is the more everyday word, and the plural form is orthoses.

Common Mistakes

After losing his lower leg, he was fitted with an orthosis.
After losing his lower leg, he was fitted with a prosthesis.
An orthosis supports a body part that is still there; a prosthesis replaces a missing one.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Orthosis is the formal medical term for an external device that supports or guides a body part. Brace is the everyday word most learners will hear in daily life, especially for the back, knee, or teeth. Splint is closer when the main purpose is to keep an injured part still, often for a shorter period. Prosthesis is different: it replaces a missing body part instead of supporting one that is still there. In a hospital note you may read orthosis, but in ordinary conversation many people simply say brace.

brace ↗splint ↗prosthesis

Common collocations

Nouns

  • ankle orthosis
  • wrist orthosis
  • custom orthosis
  • rigid orthosis

Phrases

  • wear an orthosis
  • fit an orthosis
  • need an orthosis after an injury

Prepositions

  • orthosis for the ankle
  • orthosis on the wrist