The study of orthotics began with the ancient art of splint and brace making. Bonesetters and brace makers eventually developed into what we now call orthopaedic surgeons and orthotists.

It was not until the twentieth century when the most significant contributions to orthotic sciences were made, stimulated by the aftermath of the first and second world wars and the polio epidemics of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. Injured veterans who acquired musculoskeletal and neuromuscular impairments or polio survivors with diminished neuromuscular function increased the demand for orthotic services. To improve the quality and performance of assistive devices at the end of World War II, the U.S. Government sponsored a series of research and development projects under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences that would forever change the manner in which orthotics would be practiced.

Not until the early 1960’s did the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council begin to promote multidisciplinary scientific research efforts into human locomotion, biomechanics, and the development of new materials and devices. Innovations in orthotic designs were influenced by the adaptation of industrial techniques for vacuum forming sheet plastics.
By the 1980’s the continuing introduction of new materials and methods spurred the profession of orthotics to rapidly evolve as a changing discipline. In an attempt to keep its professionals updated, the 1990’s saw significant advancement in the development of educational programs to train professional orthotists. The orthotists at Round Rock Orthotics and Prosthetics utilize the most current materials and biomechanical knowledge to provide our patients the exceptional care they deserve.