Orthotics

My friend Al has had trouble with his legs since he had polio as a child. Recently they’ve been particularly painful. He has a hospital appointment this morning – at the orthotics clinic.

That was a new word for me. The ‘Healthline’ website tells me: ‘Orthotics are special shoe or heel inserts a doctor prescribes that are custom-made specifically for you… part of a comprehensive treatment plan to address various symptoms, usually having to do with pain and discomfort of the feet and legs.’

Apparently orthotics comes from the Greek word ‘orthos’ which means ‘straight, true, correct, regular.’ So Al’s ‘orthotic’ appointment is to help his bad legs to be straighter.

I’ve met ‘ortho’ before. The ‘orthodontist’ makes crooked ‘dont’ (teeth) ‘ortho’ (straight, true). Orthodox is about having the ‘ortho’ (right, correct) ‘dox’ (opinion).

In contrast ‘crook’ was originally an old Norse word meaning a hook shaped, curved metal tool. It became used to describe any bent or curved shape. Today we use it to describes someone whose behaviour is crooked.

I’ve been reading about Chuck Colson’s work with ‘crooks’ and prison reform:

He asks questions about how ‘crooks’ become crooked. He challenges the ‘…stereotyped image of prisoners as evil, violent and dangerous individuals,’ concluding, ‘Some are to be sure, but the majority are ordinary, albeit weak and troubled human beings.’

He’s clear in his views that the US prison system doesn’t reform or rehabilitate criminals: prison doesn’t straighten out crooks – in fact it makes them more crooked. (My guess is that’s also true for the UK prisons).

His Christian faith points to a God who can straighten out the crooked. I remember the verse that my grandmother wrote in the front of my first Bible: ‘Trustin the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’

Meanwhile I hope and pray that Al’s legs are made a little straighter and stronger at today’s orthotics clinic.