The Patient’s Perspectives on Custom Made Foot Orthotics

The IVO used the 2. "Orthopädie Schuh Technik" to hold its fall meeting in Cologne on 17 October 2013. The member associations were asked again to present current topics and problems. Lisa Irish, president of the Canadian Pedorthic Association of Canada (PAC), presented the new research project. Here you will find the summery.

Have you ever wondered how your patient’s were feeling about their custom made foot orthotics in terms of their pain or discomfort, and impact on activities of daily living? Have you ever thought about how you would objectively measure this? PAC has!

As part of PAC’s continuing efforts to provide value to its membership, we have embarked on a worthwhile and ambitious initiative. In late 2013, the PAC Board of Directors approved an initiative designed to objectively measure the patient’s perspectives on custom made foot orthotics. The initiative is referred to as POMES (Patient Outcome Measure Evaluation Strategy), and is scheduled to deliver meaningful results by the end of 2014.

Why are we doing this?

Insurance companies are increasingly looking for evidence to support services/products they fund under their coverage plans. This is part of a recent trend in healthcare in general, as funders are focusing upon spending in an evidence-informed, outcome-driven environment. Those services/products that have objective evidence in support of their use are more likely to continue to receive funding. A review of the evidence from the patients’ perspective on their experiences with shoe modifications and custom made foot orthotics turned up with very few useful results.

What are we doing?

PAC has come up with a question of great value to the Pedorthic community. The question is, from the patients’ point of view, “do custom made foot orthotics help to reduce pain or discomfort in the foot and ankle, and allow individuals to increase their activity levels?”

How are we doing this?

Several hundred patients from across Canada, from a wide variety of Pedorthic clinics, will be given a survey prior to using their custom made foot orthotics, and again after a period of use. Information from the Pedorthist about each orthotic will also be collected. The results will then be analyzed and presented to membership.

Who is doing this?

PAC has assembled a team of experts in the community who have graciously volunteered many hours of their time to the initiative. Members include Anne Putnam, C. Ped (C) (Chair), Melissa Lujan, C. Ped (C), Ryan Chang, PhD, C. Ped (C) and Maclean Graydon, C. Ped (C), and are being led by Tyler Amell, PhD an expert in evidence-informed, applied health research.

What does it mean for me as a Pedorthist?

The findings of the initiative will be of great use for the Pedorthic community, as objective information about the average patient, type of orthotic, level of pain or discomfort before and after orthotic use, level of activity before and after orthotic use will be available. This information can then be used in patient consultation, physician consultation and marketing efforts.

A shoe modification can also be performed to simply make shoes more comfortable!