Pedorthists wanted worldwide
Foot problems are everywhere in the world. But are there also foot specialists everywhere who can provide relief with their devices? With your help, on the occasion of ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK and the IVO Congress on October 14/15, 2022, we would like to show where orthopedic shoemakers around the world take care of foot problems.
Orthopedic foot care has a long tradition in German-speaking countries and also in some neighboring countries The training is structured, state-recognized and the services are reimbursed by health insurance companies. Other countries such as Canada, Australia and Japan have made very great strides in the development of the profession over the past 25 years. But foot problems exist all over the world. Compared to Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O), which is known worldwide as a profession and field of activity, Pedorthics is still struggling internationally to establish itself as a profession and to be recognized by the government.
Networking and support
But if there is no state-recognized training in a country, this does not mean that there are no specialists there who take care of foot problems professionally. Some of them are craftsmen who learned their trade in Europe or other countries. Partly they are people who have dared to learn a profession that is still largely unknown in their home country. As self-employed or as employees or in a sponsored project, they use their knowledge for the benefit of their patients. Many of them still work as "lone rangers" in their countries and are left to their own devices when it comes to professional and technical questions, because they lack access to the relevant knowledge and, above all, the exchange with colleagues.
We want to present these people in our magazine Orthopädieschuhtechnik and our English-language edition "foot&shoe" this year. We have already had the pleasure of getting to know some of them in recent years. But many we do not know yet. And we hope to find them with your help.
We know that there are pedorthists or supplier companies that have contacts to companies abroad because they worked there or support the company with know-how, technology or material. If you are one of these people, we would be very pleased if you would contact us or give us the names of companies that we can contact.
The ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK in Cologne has been an international trade fair and congress for foot experts from different countries for many years. The professional exchange and personal encounters are appreciated by all visitors. This is especially true this year, when the International Association of Orthopaedic Footwear Technicians (IVO) will be visiting Cologne with its congress.
English-language offerings at the congress and seminars
We hope that we can encourage as many colleagues as possible from other countries to visit our trade fair and congress. Especially for visitors from countries where orthopedic footwear technology is not yet established, there will be a special offer of English-language seminars in addition to the congress - with translated lectures - which will provide the opportunity to expand specialized knowledge and exchange ideas with others.
But also those who will not be able to come to Cologne will be integrated into the international community of orthopedic shoemakers in the coming years - using the possibilities of digital communication.
Therefore, we welcome all feedback that will help us to find pedorthic companies in other countries.
Contact: Wolfgang Best (
