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“We Can!”
By Mike Forgrave, CPed (c), CPed  In August of 2004, ten certified pedorthists broke
new ground for our profession. They were the first certified
pedorthists invited to treat athletes at a Summer Olympics. As part
of the foot and ankle team in the Polyclinic, we were working
hand-in-hand with podiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, and nurses. The
Polyclinic is a multidisciplinary clinic, which includes
professionals from dentistry, optometry, orthopedics, orthopedic
foot and ankle, physiotherapy, sports medicine, psychology, and
gynecology.
The clinic was open to all Olympic participants, including
athletes, team personnel, and Olympic volunteers. The foot and
ankle section of the Polyclinic was the third busiest clinic, right
behind dentistry and optometry, seeing nearly 1,000 "incidents"
during the Olympics.
Pedorthists became an integral part of the foot and ankle team,
not just manufacturers of foot orthotics. We were consulted on what
can and can't be done to help the patients, ranging from changing
their shoes to evaluating their foot mechanics and pressure points.
We dealt with such pathologies as plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia,
sesmoiditis, tibialis posterior periostitis, IT band syndromes, and
patella femoral pain. Although we did not have the facilities to
manufacture custom-made foot orthoses, we were able to customize
foot orthotic blanks provided by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) from Italy and were even required to manufacture
rocker soles.
Pedorthics--Making an Impact Worldwide
The reason for telling this story is not to brag, but rather to
show how pedorthics is being accepted worldwide. Most of the foot
and ankle team in Athens had never heard of pedorthics. The
exception was a foot and ankle surgeon who trained in the United
States and knew about pedorthics from a diabetic standpoint--and
even he wasn't sure of our capabilities in a sports medicine
context.
Our pedorthists became such an integral part of the healthcare
team in Athens that it has been recommended that pedorthics be
included in the 2008 Beijing Games. There are also opportunities
being presented for inclusion in other elite sport venues.
There is so much more we can do in a teamwork approach to
healthy foot and ankle care.
The pedorthic profession is not just one of footwear (although
that is an integral part), but is also a source of biomechanical
and pathological expertise. Our focus should be on all lower-limb
dysfunction as pertaining to foot mechanics.
I would like to thank Steven Mirones, CO, CPed, and Matthew
Mirones, CPO, CPed, for their vision and dedication to a profession
that can contribute to healthcare worldwide. Mike Forgrave, CPed (c), CPed, is certified in pedorthics in Canada and the US and has been in private practice in Kitchener, Ontario, since 1985. He is president-elect of the Pedorthic Footwear Association (PFA) and served as a member of the 2004 Athens Pedorthic Olympic Volunteer Program. 
Table Of Contents - November 2004
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