Orthotics
Prosthetics
Patient Services
Our Staff
Custom Orthotics & Prosthetics
in Portland and Salem, Oregon
A Step forward, LLC, is a premier Orthotic and Prosthetic company opened in May, 2006 by Megan McCarthy CO, LO. She has worked in Portland, Oregon since arriving from Toronto, Canada in 1996. She has over 25 years experience designing orthoses of all types. She has specialized pediatric training in gait evaluation and scoliosis bracing. Megan also has success in helping the geriatric community maintain their mobility.
We are proud to announce that A Step Forward has been accredited by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC). ABC has been credentialing practitioners and organizations since 1948 in accordance with established standards of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient care.
We pride ourselves on working within multidisciplinary teams to determine the best possible treatment options available. We specialize in custom work and make almost all of the devices on-site. This allows for faster turn-around times and easier adjustments. During our evaluation process, we take individual needs into account and make sure that we are fabricating the best device possible. When fabricating the prostheses and orthoses, we use various materials including carbon, kevlar, titanium, plastics, foams, and leather, as well as the latest components from prosthetic technology.
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Custom Made Orthoses
designed and fabricated in Portland and Salem, Oregon
An orthosis is a device that adds support, protection and control to an existing body part. Orthoses are described by acronyms that are characterized by the joints they cross or support.
For the lower extremity we fabricate foot orthoses (FOs), supermallelor foot orthoses (SMOs), ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), knee ankle foot orthoses (KAFOs), and hip knee ankle foot orthoses (HKAFOs).
For upper extremety we fabricate hand orthoses (HOs), wrist hand orthoses (WHOs) and wrist hand finger orthoses (WHOFs). We will also fabricate elbow orthoses (EOs) or shoulder elbow orthoses (SEOs).
For spinal control and support and scoliosis treatment we fabricate lumbar saccral orthoses (LSOs), thoraco-lumbar saccral orthoses (TLSOs) and cervical thorasic lumbar saccral orthoses (CTLSO).
We also treat infants who suffer from plaigiocephaly with cranial remolding orthoses. We are certified to use the Starband FDA approved cranial system.
Prostheses
designed and built by us
Prosthetics are devices that replace a missing body part. We fabricate prostheses for all areas of the body – both lower extremity and upper extremity prostheses.
There have been many technological advances in recent years in the field of prosthetics. Computerized knees, ankles, wrists, and fingers have made huge functional improvements in people’s day to day lives. We will evaluate and develop the most appropriate device for each person we see. Our goal is always to provide the most comfortable, functional and attractive prostheses possible.
Please contact our office to schedule an appointment.
Patient Services
Contracted Insurances
This is a list of the larger insurances for which we have contracts.
- Aetna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Healthnet
- Kaiser
- Lifewise
- Managed Healthcare NW
- Medicare
- MODA
- Oregon Medicaid (call to inquire about specific CCOs)
- Pacific Source
- Providence
- United Healthcare
- Washington Medicaid
- Workmans Comp/MVA claims- (call to inquire)
Our mission at A Step Forward, LLC is to simply provide excellent quality orthotic and prosthetic services to all of our patients. We are dedicated to working within multi-disciplinary teams to achieve the best possible results for our patients. Our goal is to treat everyone with care and respect and we pride ourselves in helping people with their mobility and physical needs.
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Our Staff
Steve Gotfredson, CO BOCP [ steve@astepforwardpdx.com ]
Steve is a certified Prosthetist Orthotist who has planted himself in the Portland area. He started working in Prosthetics and Orthotics at the age of 14 and has never looked back. First in Central Minnesota where he spent most of his time outdoors, on the water, on the trails, or in a park. Following college, he moved to Utah where he practiced O&P for 14 years, met his wife and had their daughter. His family moved to Portland area in 2019 and have established roots to stay and enjoy all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. His passion in his career has taken him all over the US, as well as to other countries to teach, lecture, and learn. He graduated from Northwestern School of Medicine for O&P and is certified by both the American Board of Certification (ABC) as well as the Board of Certification International (BOCP). Throughout life he has been fortunate to work in most aspects of the field, from manufacturing to custom fabrication, all the way to clinical patient care and teaching. He strives to include all aspects into his wholistic patient care approach and loves to stretch the boundaries of what is possible.
Megan McCarthy, CO, LO [ megan@astepforwardpdx.com ]
Megan McCarthy is a certified/licensed orthotist (CO, LO) who has been working in the field since 1990. She received an Honors B.SC. in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo in Canada and went on to finish post-graduate work in Orthotics and Prosthetics from George Brown College in Toronto. She completed her orthotic residency at Shriner’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon in 1997. She was nationally certified in orthotics in 1998. Megan has focused her orthotic practice on pediatric, spinal (specifically scoliosis), and neuromuscular disorders. She is also well trained in podiatric, functional foot orthotic assessment and fabrication. Among her strengths is her compassion for people and her ability to solve difficult orthopedic and neuromuscular situations. She lives with her goofy corgie named Finley.
Rhena Ildstad [ rhena@astepforwardpdx.com ]
Rhena is a Prosthetist Orthotist. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington where she majored in Physiology and minored in American Sign Language/Deaf Studies. During this time she was also participating in lower limb prosthetic research in Sanders’ Research Lab measuring residual limb volume fluctuations. Rhena then returned to school at UW and graduated with her Masters in Prosthetics and Orthotics in June 2021 before joining the team at A Step Forward. In her spare time, Rhena enjoys being outdoors, especially if it involves rock climbing, mountaineering, or camping.
Sarah Richards [ sarah@astepforwardpdx.com ]
Sarah is our Office Manager and has been with A Step Forward since 2011. She handles the day to day operations of the company including patient relations, scheduling, insurance authorizations, contracting, billing, coding and compliance. Sarah is a local Oregonian raised in the Cedar Hills area but now resides in Southwest Portland. Sarah has a Bachelors in Science from Oregon State University with an emphasis in Exercise and Sports Science. In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with friends and her dogs Braxston and Bella. When she’s not at work you might find her at trivia night, snowboarding, hiking, traveling, gardening, attending Blazer games, Beaver/Duck football games or even Timbers games.
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A Step Forward is
accredited by the
American Board for
Certification in
Orthotics & Prosthetics
Portland
8605 SW Terwilliger Blvd
Portland, OR 97219
(503) 478-0600
Salem
744 Hawthorne Ave NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 798-4988
©2024 A Step Forward, LLC
Orthotics & Prosthetics Designed and Fabricated in Portland and Salem, Oregon
Contact Us
Portland
8605 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, OR 97219
phone: (503) 478-0600 | fax: (503) 478-0602
Salem
744 Hawthorne Ave NE, Salem, OR 97301
phone: (503) 798-4988 | fax: (503) 798-4989
Affiliations
Educational Affiliations
University of Washington
A Step Forward, LLC is proud to be affiliated with the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. We provide clinical training for undergraduate clinical orthotic and prosthetic students.
Oregon Health Sciences University
A Step Forward, LLC works closely with Children’s Rehabilitation and Development Center (CDRC) at OHSU. We provide an introduction to pediatric orthotic applications to licensed physical therapy fellows and doctorial physical therapy students from Pacific University. We strongly believe in the sharing of ideas and the improved treatment outcomes experienced through a multidisciplinary team approach.
Pacific University
We have been invited to lecture on site at Pacific University to the first year class of graduate Physical Therapy students. As we are able to provide current clinical applications for the theory that they are learning, the students have felt the full lectures to be extremely beneficial early in their curriculum.
George Fox University
Recently, Megan has also had the pleasure of lecturing to the graduate Physical Therapy students at George Fox University in Newberg, OR. She loves teaching and sharing ideas with such enthusiastic people who really want to make a difference in the rehabiliation world. Hopefully, over the next few years more teaching opportunities will emerge.
Professional Affiliations
- OHSU
- Legacy Health System
- Salem Hospital
- Samaritan Hospital (Corvallis)
- American Board of Certification – ABC
- American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association – AOPA
- American Academy of Prosthetists & Orthotists – AAOP
- Canadian Association of Prosthetists & Orthotists – CAPO
- Association of Childrens Prosthetic & Orthotic Clinics – ACPOC
Testimonials
“Megan and her staff have always been very friendly, courteous, helpful, and of course professional. I am so grateful that my podiatrist refers his patients to A Step Forward. My orthotics have always fit well. Megan monitors and will remold them slightly if a problem does occur. They also seem like part of my extended family-they care, support and encourage!”
“You guys are awesome. Working with you all has been so rewarding. You always work with my progressions making any tweaks and adjustments to the devices you have created for me. My sincere thank you for helping me walk once again and for the caring touch.”
“Working with you is always an extremely positive and accommodating experience.”
“Great staff, comfortable surroundings, and quality work”
“I have seen a great progress with my son since coming here. I am very happy with all the help we get at A Step Forward.”
“You all are wonderful! Thank you for creating such a fantastic environment for kids, offering such outstanding service and high quality products. You all have always gone above and beyond for us. Thank you!”
“We love everything about A Step Forward!!!”
“Megan is very professional, knowledgeable and kind. My son is very comfortable talking with her, which makes the whole process much easier. Thanks.”
