Prosthetic & Orthotic Solutions

Ability Prosthetics and Orthotics is staffed by AOPA-certified prosthetists and orthotists with more than 30 years of experience, and we design and manufacture custom orthotics in-house rather than outsourcing to third-party labs.

We’re also one of the few Queensland providers with clinics spanning Brisbane (Acacia Ridge), Toowoomba and Townsville under one team, so patients who relocate between regions — or simply prefer a different clinic for a visit — get continuity of care from clinicians already familiar with their case history.

We’re a registered provider across NDIS, QALS, DVA and MASS, and we help patients navigate funding as an integrated part of their care rather than leaving them to work it out alone. Our clinical approach is also grounded in current evidence — from microprocessor knee prescription to socket design — rather than defaulting to the same componentry for every patient.

Our custom-made prosthetics and orthotics are meticulously developed and aesthetically crafted for the best fit, comfort, and function. We use only the highest-quality materials and the most cutting-edge processes, from CAD/CAM digital scanning through to traditional casting where it best suits the patient.

Depending on your specific needs and goals, we can manufacture a prosthetic or orthotic device to suit you — from lower and upper limb prostheses to custom foot orthotics, spinal braces and paediatric devices.

We recognize that the correct prosthetic or orthotic can transform your life by allowing you to live with more flexibility, support, and confidence. At all times, you are under the personalised care of experienced, AOPA-certified prosthetists and orthotists with more than 30 years of experience, across our Brisbane, Toowoomba and Townsville clinics.

A prosthesis is an externally placed device used to replace an absent or defective limb segment in whole or part — for example, a below-knee (transtibial) or above-knee (transfemoral) prosthetic leg.

Orthotics is a branch of healthcare technology that deals with the design, manufacture, and application of orthoses (braces), such as ankle-foot orthoses, spinal braces or custom foot orthotics.

In short, a prosthetic replaces an amputated limb or body part, while an orthotic supports, corrects or braces an existing limb or body part. Orthotic devices provide comfort and healing by reducing shock, inflammation and swelling, and are often prescribed for conditions present from birth or developed over time. Prosthetic devices, by contrast, are typically required after a limb is lost due to injury, illness, vascular disease, or congenital limb difference.

An orthotic device protects, corrects and supports a body part, while a prosthetic device restores function, mobility and symmetry to the body after amputation.

For many people with functional limitations or physical impairments, prosthetic limbs and orthotic braces increase mobility and the ability to manage everyday activities — from walking safely at home to returning to work, sport or recreational activities matched to their individual mobility level.

They provide the means to remain self-sufficient and live healthy, active, independent lives, while also reducing reliance on professional health care and long-term care over time. Well-fitted devices also enable greater participation in education, employment and social and community life.

Yes. We work with athletes at all levels, from recreational sport through to elite and Paralympic competition, providing running blades, sport-specific sockets and componentry designed for high-impact, high-performance activity.

Sporting prostheses are built differently to everyday devices — prioritising energy return, alignment precision and durability under repeated high loads — and are often used alongside a patient’s everyday prosthesis rather than replacing it.

If you’re training or competing and want to explore what’s possible, our prosthetists can talk through options suited to your sport, goals and current mobility level.

Our custom-made orthotics and prosthetics are manufactured using the latest techniques and highest quality materials, which include a variety of thermoplastics, metals, and composites, like fibreglass and carbon fibre.

Sockets and orthoses may also incorporate silicone or urethane liners for comfort and skin protection, with componentry selected to suit each patient’s activity level, body weight and lifestyle goals.

Material and component choice has a direct impact on comfort, durability and function, which is why our clinicians select from a range of manufacturers and technologies — including microprocessor-controlled and energy-storing componentry for eligible patients — rather than a single standard build for every device.

Coverage depends on how you came to need a prosthetic or orthotic and which scheme you’re eligible for.

If your amputation was due to illness or disease, the Queensland Artificial Limb Service (QALS) or the NDIS (if you’re under 65 with a permanent and significant disability) will generally cover the cost. If it resulted from an accident or workplace injury, WorkCover Queensland or the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIISQ) may fund it instead, and veterans are typically covered through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). Orthotics funding follows a similar range of pathways, including Queensland Health’s Medical Aid Subsidy Scheme (MASS).

As a registered provider with NDIS, QALS, DVA and recognised under MASS, we help you work out which pathway applies to you and manage the required paperwork, quotes and clinical justification as part of your first consultation.

Timeframes vary depending on the complexity of the device, your funding pathway, and how quickly approval is granted.

After your initial consultation and cast or digital scan, we design and manufacture a trial device — typically a test socket for a prosthesis — which is fitted and adjusted before your definitive prosthesis or orthosis is completed. It’s standard practice for patients to trial a device before the final version is finalised, and more than one fitting is often required to get comfort and function right.

Most patients move through this process across several appointments rather than a single visit. Your prosthetist or orthotist will give you a clear, personalised timeline specific to your device once your assessment is complete.

If you’ve recently started researching prosthetics, you’ll come across a mix of everyday language and clinical terminology used to describe the same thing — which can be confusing.

In the lower limb, “above the knee” (AKA) refers to a transfemoral amputation, through the thigh bone (femur). “Below the knee” (BKA) refers to a transtibial amputation, through the shin bone (tibia). “Through the knee” refers to a knee disarticulation, at the knee joint itself. A “hip amputation” is more precisely a hip disarticulation, at the hip joint. Partial foot amputations range from toe amputation through to a Syme’s amputation, through the ankle joint.

In the upper limb, “above the elbow” (AEA) refers to a transhumeral amputation, through the upper arm bone (humerus). “Below the elbow” (BEA) refers to a transradial amputation, through the forearm bones (radius and ulna). “Through the elbow” refers to an elbow disarticulation, at the elbow joint. Shoulder disarticulation refers to loss of the entire arm at the shoulder joint.

You may also hear “stump,” though “residual limb” is the preferred clinical term today, and “congenital amputee” is more accurately described as a congenital limb difference. Whatever term you’re used to, our prosthetists are happy to talk through your situation in plain language — you don’t need to know the clinical terminology before your first consultation.

Orthotics are prescribed for a wide range of conditions affecting the feet, legs, spine, upper body and even head shape in infants.

Common conditions include plantar fasciitis and heel pain, diabetes-related foot complications such as ulcers and neuropathy, flat feet and overpronation, and drop foot caused by stroke, MS or nerve injury, which is typically managed with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO). Orthotic bracing also supports gait and positioning for cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions, and offers a non-surgical management option for pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum.

We also provide cranial remoulding helmets for infants with positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), custom-fitted to gently guide head shape while the skull is still developing.

Orthotics are additionally used to reduce joint load and pain in arthritis, support healing after injury or surgery, and correct paediatric conditions such as clubfoot from infancy through to adolescence. Because orthotics range from simple off-the-shelf supports to fully custom-manufactured devices, the right option depends on the specific condition — which is why an initial assessment with an orthotist is the best starting point.

Yes. Our prosthetists and orthotists prepare expert medicolegal reports for personal injury claims, workers’ compensation matters, and insurance or NDIS-related disputes involving prosthetic and orthotic needs.

These reports assess a person’s current and projected prosthetic or orthotic requirements, including componentry, replacement schedules, and lifetime costs, and are prepared to the standard required for use in legal proceedings and by solicitors, insurers and case managers.

If you’re a solicitor, insurer or case manager requiring an independent clinical assessment, contact us to discuss the specifics of your case and reporting requirements.