The Role of a Pedorthist in Foot Health

A pedorthist is trained to select, create, and modify footwear or foot orthoses that help people acquire or regain mobility. They also use a wide range of evaluation tools and techniques.

Education

The work of a pedorthist is to alleviate pain, prevent tissue damage, and restore foot function, allowing individuals to pursue a more active lifestyle. A pedorthist works closely with podiatrists, who specialize in treating conditions of the feet, to help patients achieve this goal.

Pedorthists are trained to evaluate, design, manufacture, and fit lower-limb orthotic devices and footwear. They have studied anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, shoe construction and modification, foot orthotic fabrication and materials, and patient/practice management.

Assessment

A pedorthist will take the time to get to know your pain story, explore your needs, and help you understand what’s happening with your feet. They may conduct biomechanical assessments to measure the range of motion in your lower extremities, assess any bony prominences, edema, or discoloration, and then observe you walking.

Pedorthists have intensive training in lower extremity anatomy, gait analysis, foot orthotic design and fabrication, footwear construction and modification, and patient/practice management. They will use this knowledge to help alleviate painful, debilitating, and dysfunctional conditions that affect the feet and lower limbs. This is often achieved without the need for surgery. Pedorthists work closely with orthotics and prosthetists to provide seamless care for patients. They also offer education on foot and ankle health.

Design

Foot and lower-limb problems often cause pain, abnormality, or debilitation that can impair quality of life. However, keeping patients up and moving can significantly improve their lives while saving costs for themselves, physicians, and the healthcare system.

A pedorthist’s education focuses on postural analysis and movement patterns, biomechanics of the foot and lower limb, orthoses fabrication, shoe construction and modification, and patient care. Pedorthists are also trained to recognize and address functional hallux limitus, leg-length discrepancy, foot and ankle asymmetries, and gait anomalies.

Fit

Footwear plays a significant role in a patient’s life and quality of life. When a person gets injured or has a foot or lower leg condition requiring medical attention, footwear becomes a factor in treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation.

Certified pedorthists are expertly trained in using shoes, shoe modifications, and foot orthotics to address these conditions. They can fill a doctor’s prescription for footwear or over-the-counter orthotics and evaluate and modify custom-made devices.

A pedorthist can dispense prefabricated or customized insoles to reduce foot pressure and pain, increase stability, and provide cushioning. They can also fit patients with shoes more appropriate for their needs, such as rocker soles or extra-depth shoes. Follow-up appointments can then occur to assess the effectiveness of the orthotic or the footwear and discuss any changes/improvements.

Follow-Up

Credentialed pedorthists work closely with physicians to offer various conservative – or nonsurgical – treatment options. Pedorthic prescriptions can relieve pressure, redistribute weight, support conditions, prevent injuries, accommodate existing medical devices, and improve foot function.

Unlike podiatrists, pedorthists take a nonsurgical approach to alleviating pain and restoring normal foot function. They are trained to assess lower extremity biomechanics, modify footwear, and provide customized orthotic solutions to fit your feet.

In addition, a pedorthist can follow up to ensure your new shoes or orthotics function as they were designed to. This is especially important because footwear and pedorthic devices must be able to fit in with your lifestyle. If they don’t, the device will be useless in your closet.