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Orthotics 101
The practice of foot care and foot health has its own vocabulary. Here are some definitions to help you make sense of it all.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Orthotic | A shoe insert, shaped to the foot, which is promoted as a way to prevent or cure foot, leg and back pain. |
| Pedorthist | A foot care professional who does not diagnose but more precisely assesses and offers therapy. Pedorthists fill prescriptions from physicians and podiatrists/chiropodists for specialty footwear and foot orthoses. See www.pedorthic.ca for more details. |
| Podiatrists and Chiropodists | Chiropodists and podiatrists are primary health care providers who are experts in the management of foot problems. They treat patients in a variety of ways including the use of braces, casts, shields, orthotic devices, physical therapy or surgery. Podiatrists and Chiropodists work to help patients eliminate foot pain, gain mobility, and maintain healthy feet. They treat sports injuries; common foot conditions such as corns, warts, ingrown toenails or calluses; foot infections that may result from medical conditions such as diabetes; and foot deformities and misalignments. See www.podiatrycanada.org and www.cocoo.on.ca for more detail |
| Orthotist | A certified specialist in the design, fabrication and fitting of orthoses (braces or splints) intended to prevent or correct deformities, protect a painful part of the body or improve the function of a weakened extremity. This may include anything from custom fabricated arch supports to braces for the knee, back, shoulder or arm. The designation is awarded by the Canadian Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists. See www.oandp.com for more details. |
| Custom-made | A term used to describe a device that is manufactured from raw materials. In the case of a custom foot orthotic or custom-made footwear, the term custom-made can only be used when a three dimensional image of the foot is used to capture bony alignment and shape, and the device is manufactured from raw materials. |
| Customized | A term used to describe a pre-fabricated/over-the-counter device that has been modified by the addition or deletion of material in order to modify movement or accommodate pain or dysfunction. |
| Custom-moulded (non-casted) |
A term used to describe a device moulded directly to the foot from raw materials that are warmed until soft. This device can be further modified and used to provide cushioning, pressure relief, redistribute load and accommodate deformity (a self-moulded product is not considered custom moulded). |
For more detail, see this glossary of orthotic terms, provided by the Pedorthic Association of Canada.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Chiropractic | A non-invasive, hands-on health care discipline that focuses on treatment and preventative care for disorders related to the spine, pelvis, nervous system and joints. |
| Chiropractors | Chiropractors are primary care practitioners, trained to develop and carry out a comprehensive treatment/management plan, recommend therapeutic exercise and other non-invasive therapies, and provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counselling. |
| Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College | A fully accredited, limited enrolment, self-supporting, professional educational institution funded by the chiropractic profession in Canada. It receives no direct government funding and relies on membership, tuition and donations for support. www.cmcc.ca |
| College of Chiropractors of Ontario | The government appointed body that regulates Ontario chiropractors through the Chiropractic Act, which is part of the Ontario Regulated Health Professions Act. It enforces the Orthotics Standard of Practice and is responsible for investigating complaints made against chiropractors. www.cco.on.ca |
| Ontario Chiropractic Association | A voluntary professional association that represents approximately 81% (2,700) of Ontario's practicing chiropractors. Its mission is to serve its members and the public by advancing chiropractic health care. www.chiropractic.on.ca |
| Canadian Chiropractic Association | An association representing the profession in Canada through the co-operation and co-ordination of information and programming among its provincial divisions. There are approximately 6,000 chiropractors in Canada of whom 85 per cent are members of the association. www.ccachiro.org |
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