Experts in Clinical Biomechanics & Orthotics
St. Gabriel’s Orthotics Clinic is an award-winning social enterprise that provides orthotic solutions that are designed to help mobility, posture/body alignment and reduce pain.
For public clinics, a referral from a consultant or health care professional is required to access this service.
For private clinics, clients can contact the Clinic directly or can get a referral from their GP or healthcare professional.
Click here to see some of the conditions we treat in our private clinics.
Please contact our team by phone (061-302733) or email orthotics@stgabriels.ie if you have questions about accessing our service or if you would like to schedule an appointment.
Who do we treat?
St. Gabriel’s operates public and private clinics.
Public Clinics
In our public clinics, we treat children and adults with musculoskeletal conditions such as cerebral palsy as well as adults with diabetes, post stroke and any condition that affects function of the upper or lower limbs.
For children with significant disabilities, orthotics assist with posture, reduction of joint contractures and scoliosis.
We also treat adults with biomechanical foot and ankle issues and provide accommodative footwear and foot orthoses to reduce pain and offer support.
Clients who hold a medical card or Long Term Illness card will require a referral form submitted to us prior to assessment. We will then contact you directly with an appointment.
Private Clinics
In our private clinics we offer a full biomechanical assessment and gait analysis and will discuss all options available to you to alleviate your symptoms. We treat children and adults with foot pain including heel pain, plantarfaciitus, metatarsalgia, shin splints, runners knee and provide solutions through our expert team of Orthotists.
St. Gabriel’s treats professional athletes, recreational runners & walkers and people who have difficulty with their lower limbs that impacts their daily activities.
Our bespoke orthotic devices are manufactured onsite in our specialist orthotic workshop and are tailored to the individual client to improve the fit and function of the final orthotic devices supplied to the client.
Click here to see the list of the conditions we treat in our private clinics.
Please phone 061302733 or email us regarding an appointment.
Clinic Locations
St Gabriel’s, Springfield Drive, Dooradoyle, Limerick V94 VY9Y
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm
We also hold regional clinics on a fortnightly or monthly bases:
- Derg Centre Outpatients Clinic, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
- West Limerick Childrens Services, Desmond Complex Newcastle West Co. Limerick
- East Limerick Childrens Services, Ballysimon Road, Limerick
- Clare Childrens Services, St Joseph’s Hospital, Ennis Co. Clare
Contact St Gabriel’s Orthotics for further information:
061 302 733 ext 4
St. Gabriel’s Orthotics operate both Public and Private Clinics.
Private Client Clinic:
In order to see one of the specialist Orthotists at St. Gabriel’s you need to make an appointment by phoning 061 302733 ext 4 or emailing orthotics@stgabriels.ie or your GP or Healthcare Professional can download a referral form and return it to us by fax, email or post.
There is an assessment charge of €55 for private assessments.
Public Client Clinic:
Public clients need to be referred by their GP or healthcare professional. If you hold a medical card or Long Term Illness card you will require a referral form submitted to us prior to assessment. We will then contact you directly with an appointment.
Our clinical team specialise in the complex management of children living with a neurological condition.
What is a neurological condition?
A neurological condition affects the brain and/or spinal cord and associated nerves leading to impairments in movement and the control of movement. Some neurological conditions are present from birth such as cerebral palsy and some can be sudden onset such as a stroke or other brain injury.
We understand such a diagnosis is extremely challenging for new parents. We will provide the best treatment advice and intervention to give your child increased functional ability to live as full and happy a life as possible.
Our role
Our role is to put in place an effective treatment plan to facilitate movement, provide passive stretching and contracture management to the affected muscles and joints.
Activity, movement and weight bearing are vital for growing children and we aim to make movement as easy and as energy efficient as possible.
As a child grows, we are constantly reassessing what their needs are i.e. for school, or hobbies.
Early intervention is paramount and we work closely with the paediatric physiotherapists to ensure early referral to our service and a multidisplinary team approach.
St. Gabriel’s Orthotics works with people with the following conditions:
- ASD
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down Syndrome
- Diabetes and ulceration
- Drop foot
- Hypermobiltiy syndrome
- Muscular dystrophies
- Metatarsalgia
- Osteoarthritis
- Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scoliosis
- Spina bifida
- Sports related injuries
- Stroke
- Tendonopathy
Footwear and Foot Orthoses
Orthoses may be prescribed for a variety of conditions and symptoms such as Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis, as well has bunions and significant foot pain caused by injury.
Following a biomechanical assessment, measures and casts are taken to accurately capture the dimensions of the feet. Often a scan is also taken to allow CAD alterations to be done.
No one persons feet are the same and symptoms are very person specific, thus most orthoses are custom to that person to achieve maximum alleviation of symptoms and allow the person return to activities of daily living pain free.
Download FFO Information Leaflet
Orthopaedic Footwear
The aim of orthopaedic footwear is to protect and support the feet.
Orthopaedic footwear may be prescribed for a variety of conditions and symptoms such as Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis, as well has bunions and significant foot pain.
Following assessment, measures and casts are taken to accurately capture the dimensions of the feet.
A trial fitting is often done to ensure correct fit and function of the footwear before completing.
All the footwear is manufactured from leather and handmade to the highest quality.
There are several catalogues of footwear design that your orthotist will assist you with when selecting footwear style, colour and fastening.
Ankle Foot Orthoses AFOs/SMOs
AFO is an acronym that stands for Ankle Foot Orthoses. An AFO controls the movement of the foot and ankle complex and stabilizes it. The AFO assists weak muscles and balance and allows the user to stand/walk safely.
AFOS are used for a variety of conditions and are tailored to an individuals needs, thus there are several designs of AFOS and all options will be discussed with you at your appointment.
AFOS are routinely recommended for children and adults with musculoskeletal conditions such as Cerebral palsy and Spina bifida and also for adults with MS, post Stroke and drop foot due to spinal injury.
Wrap around AFOs/SMOs
Wraparound AFOS are similar to other AFO designs with the exception that there is a plastic component wrapping or covering the top of the foot. This design feature offers greater midfoot support and increased surface area contact with the skin.
This design is generally used for children with a Tendo Achilles contracture and/or midfoot collapse.
The total contact feature evenly distributes the forces applied by the AFO to the skin reducing the risk of skin breakdown and friction.
Wraparound AFO Information Leaflet
Knee Ankle Foot Orthoses KAFOs
KAFO is an acronym that stands for Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis.
A KAFO controls the movement of the knee, foot and ankle and stabilizes the lower limb. The KAFO assists weak muscles and balance and allows the user to stand/walk safely.
KAFOS are used for a variety of conditions and are tailored to an individuals needs, thus there are several designs of KAFOS and all options will be discussed with you at your appointment.
KAFOs are often indicated for lower limb paralysis or significant knee instability causing collapse.
The above weakness may be as a result of Polio, Spina bifida or an acquired spinal injury.
Download KAFO Information Leaflet
Hip Knee Ankle Foot Orthoses HKAFOs
KAFO is an acronym that stands for Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis.
A KAFO controls the movement of the knee, foot and ankle and stabilizes the lower limb. The KAFO assists weak muscles and balance and allows the user to stand/walk safely.
KAFOS are used for a variety of conditions and are tailored to an individuals needs, thus there are several designs of KAFOS and all options will be discussed with you at your appointment.
KAFOs are often indicated for lower limb paralysis or significant knee instability causing collapse.
The above weakness may be as a result of Polio, Spina bifida or an acquired spinal injury.
Download KAFO Information Leaflet
Spinal Braces and Scoliosis
Spinal bracing can be recommended by a doctor for various reasons.
Patients with neurological weakness of the spinal muscles use the brace to delay surgery, slow the procession of a spinal curve, and assist with posture and upper limb function.
The braces are custom made to ensure corrective forces are applied effectively as well as ensuring comfort.
Other conditions treated with spinal braces are Kyphosis, a forward bending of the spine and back pain as a result of chronic osteoarthritis.
Download Spinal Brace Information Leaflet
Lycra Garments
Dynamic compression garments such as a lycra suit are prescribed to assist when a neurological deficit is present. This may be a full suit which covers the body, arms and legs or shorts to act on the hip joints, or a wrist/elbow garment to assist upper limb function.
Lycra provides both postural control and increased sensory feedback from compression of the area over which it is acting.
The garment itself and its custom reinforcements improve musculoskeletal alignment, postural control and proximal stability.
Increasing stimulus to the sensory receptors in the skin via compression increases the information received by the motor neurone which activates movement.
We also operate weekly lower limb biomechanics clinics that specialise in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in children and adults that cause pain or impact day to day activities or sports performance. This clinic is open to members of the public.
Please contact our team by phone 061-302733 or email orthotics@stgabriels.ie if you have questions about accessing our service or if you would like to schedule an appointment.
