Posts about the decline in knowledge of biomechanics demonstrated by students applying for postgraduate residency training recently appeared on a podiatry online daily e-newsletter. Several practitioners surmised that students see surgery as a more lucrative part of podiatric practice than orthotics, and therefore have little interest in learning biomechanics. If that is true, students are clearly misguided in terms of their expectations for reimbursement for surgical procedures compared to that for evaluating and dispensing orthoses, particularly ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) in clinical practice.

Recent decades have seen a proliferation of technological advances that promise to transform traditional methods of fabricating in-shoe foot orthoses. One of the most innovative of these is additive manufacturing, otherwise known as 3D printing. A host of complicating factors have stalled acceptance and implementation of this approach, however, including a high cost of investment, molasses-slow production times, confusion about the most efficient workflows – and, as a result of such concerns, an understandable reluctance on the part of clinicians and fabricators to make the switch, or even to add 3D printing to existing manufacturing options.

Diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFU) are a highly prevalent, chronic wound type which place considerable burden on the healthcare system, the patient, and often their family. Prompt access to interdisciplinary management is critical to address the aetiological factors and to promote healing. Debridement of the wound to prepare the wound bed for endogenous healing is a fundamental component of care and several potential methods of debridement are described including surgical and non-surgical modalities.

 

The CFPM can post a job posting to reach the chiropody/podiatry community. This service is FREE for all CFPM members and $150 for non-members (for a 30 day posting).