What common aspect should be assessed before providing an orthosis to a patient?

Before providing an orthosis to a patient, assessing the patient's medical history is crucial. This assessment helps to understand any underlying health conditions, previous surgeries, allergies, or contraindications that might affect the fitting or function of the orthosis. Knowledge of the patient’s medical history allows the practitioner to tailor the orthotic solution to meet the specific needs of the patient, ensuring safety and effectiveness in treatment.

While factors such as social status, occupation, and physical appearance may provide relevant context and impact factors related to the patient's lifestyle and potential use of the orthosis, the foundational aspect that should first be assessed is the medical history. This is because many medical conditions can influence the type of orthosis that is appropriate, along with how the patient will respond to wearing it.