Pedorthic Footwear – Assessment and Treatment
For 16 years Klaas Postema was a professor for rehabilitation at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands. One of his main interests, besides amputations and prosthetics, was the treatment of movement disorders, especially the influence of orthotic treatment - including orthotic footwear - on movement and motion control.
Six years ago he started to put his scientific knowledge and practical experience in the field of pedorthics between the two covers of a book. When the outline of the book was ready, he invited three other editors with outstanding experience in pedorthics: Karl-Heinz Schott (Australia), Dennis Janisse (USA) and Clemens Rommers (The Netherlands) to join him.
In the end, 54 experts from pedorthics, medical science, biomechanics, footwear research, engineers and physiotherapists contributed to a book that now encompasses more than 500 pages, 550 illustrations, 33 tables and covers most aspects of the treatment of foot and gait disorders. The book starts with background knowledge about functional anatomy, biomechanics and the development of children’s feet and changes in foot function in adults and elderly people.
Then the process of history taking, examining patients and gait analysis for pedorthic assessment is introduced. The next chapters of the book deal with different aspects of pedorthic footwear, like the process of providing pedorthic footwear, last making for custom orthotic shoes, the construction and structure of footwear, materials in pedorthic footwear or the orthotic management of lesser toe deformities.
Two of those chapters explain in detail the possibilities of shoe-modifications and the biomechanical effect of rocker profiles, which is not often found in books about pedorthics. In the introduction to the book the editors talk about their astonishment in their early years in rehabilitation when they had to experience that the shoes that they had prescribed were not worn by patients, even though the shoes were made by a specialist after a thorough examination and gait analysis. Not only the fit and the function of the shoe are important for the patient, the editors conclude.
Many psychological aspects also play a role. To ensure acceptance and wearing of pedorthic footwear, communication with the patient is crucial. In several chapters readers will find background information about why prescribed footwear is rejected and how a pedorthist can communicate with the patient to positively influence his or her wearing behavior. Foot and gait problems in children and adults which pedorthists have to deal with in daily practice make up the main part of the book. Different
experts describe the background of the problem, how foot function and gait are affected and give advice on how it can be treated with orthoses, foot orthotics or pedorthic footwear.
“The aim of this book is to share the knowledge of different aspects concerning pedorthic footwear with all the different professionals that are involved in foot care.” With regard to all the contributors, many of them internationally renowned specialists, this mission is truly accomplished. What makes this book special is, that it is not only aimed at an audience which is already well trained, but that it wants to spread knowledge about pedorthics also into countries which only have just begun to develop the profession.
Since 15 years Klaas Postema has been teaching almost every year in Surabaya, Indonesia and in other Asian countries. For the publication of the book, Postema has established the foundation “Berjalan”. Its purpose is to enhance the knowledge about foot and motion disorders and their treatment in Asia focusing Indonesia. All the revenues of the book will go to the foundation to support courses and other educational activities in cooperation with local professionals.
