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Greetings.

I had a call from the local sports shoe specialty shop for advice. They had a client for whom they had supplied shoes and fitted met pads. Said client returned with "significant pain" from the met pad. The bottom line question is at what point is a shoe fitter practicing therapeutics?

Brendan

 

Fine line. I guess a lot depends on what they informed the "customer" about.

 

The moment they place a corrective device in a shoe IMO

 

In the USA, a licensed certified Pedorthist is not allowed to apply a metatarsal pad or any therapeutic device without a written prescription from a Podiatrist or Physician. Without a Rx, the C.Ped can lose his license or would not have a leg to stand on in the event of a malpractice suit. Shoe fitters and salespeople sell met pads and other therapeutic devices but are not held to the same standard as licensed Pedorthists.

Many will disagree but I do not have a problem with having a shoe fitter trying to help a customer with a therapeutic device such as a met pad. These days, patient can buy anything on Amazon.com or the store and treat themselves. At least they are getting some guidance and many people are afraid or cannot afford to see a doctor.

Steven

 

If the practitioner has had the training and instruction to fit a met pad. Is there a fine line between providing shoe as a therapeutic device (as they can be) or providing a heel lift or met pad? We expect that the providers of athletic type shoes have had the training to provide a certain "runner" for a particular foot type or gait. Fitting a met pad is no different. The fact that the client returned to the provider and the provider sought further advice is positive. In the USA less than 10% of people who are experiencing a foot problem, visit a podiatrist or other form of foot doctor first. Their initial form of treatment is sought from from all manner of shoe stores, athletic shoe stores and Pedorthic type facilities. This is just human behaviour.

The comment about the authority of USA trained C Ped (of which I am one) is correct in absolute terms. However, we are allowed to supply all manner of OTC (Over the Counter) prefabricated foot orhtoses depending on need.

In the end, it is all about patient care, isn't?