Foot, ankle and lower limb healthcare professional who provides and is educated and trained in evaluating, fabricating and fitting pedorthic devices.

Pedorthists can evaluate and treat your foot, ankle and lower limb by providing therapeutic footwear, modified therapeutic footwear, custom made therapeutic footwear, custom molded therapeutic footwear, diabetic shoes and inserts (non custom and custom), custom molded diabetic shoes, gradient compression stockings, orthotics, partial foot prostheses and ankle foot orthoses which can be prefabricated, custom fit and custom fabricated devices to ensure a perfect fit to your foot, ankle and lower limb.

Pedorthists provide care in Pedorthic Facilities, Podiatry Facilities, Orthopedic Facilities, Wound Care Clinics, Orthotic and Prosthetic Facilities, Physical Therapy Facilities, Pharmacies, DME Facilities, Hospitals and the VA Clinics. Credentials include: BOCPD, C.Ped and by Pedorthists who are licensed to practice by their State and regulated by their State.

A Pedorthist fits pedorthic devices designed to provide for the support, alignment, prevention, and/or correction of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disease, injury, or deformity. Ascertain physician/clinician’s diagnosis, gather information, examine patient, and evaluate. Determine a patient’s realistic expectations and consult with a clinician as appropriate.

A clinician is defined as any healthcare provider who has the legal and/or licensed authority in the state to order or prescribe medical care. Select appropriate pedorthic, device(s), measure, fabricate, assemble, and apply pedorthic device to patient. Modify, adjust and conduct trial fittings. Facilitate patient’s understanding and conduct appropriate follow-up.

“An individual who is trained in the management and treatment of conditions of the foot, ankle, and lower extremities requiring fitting, fabricating, and adjusting of pedorthic devices.”

Podiatrists are foot doctors. Some Podiatrists are also Foot & Ankle Surgeons. Some Podiatry offices sell and dispense shoes, inserts & orthotics. A Podiatrist uses the designation DPM after their name. If they are also members of the American College Of Foot & Ankle Surgeons you may also see ACFAS afer their name.

“A podiatrist is a person qualified by a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) degree, licensed by the state, and practicing within the scope of that license. Podiatrists diagnose and treat foot diseases and deformities. They perform medical, surgical and other operative procedures, prescribe corrective devices and prescribe and administer drugs and physical therapy.

Recognized by several state medical boards as a fellowship subspecialty program of orthopaedic surgery, foot and ankle surgeons deal with adult reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, adult foot and ankle trauma, sports medicine foot and ankle, and children's foot and ankle reconstructive surgery.”

A Certified Orthotist and/or Prosthetist is a healthcare professional specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive orthotic and/or prosthetic patient care. This includes patient assessment, formulation of a treatment plan, implementation of the treatment plan and follow-up. Documentation by the orthotist and/or prosthetist is part of the patient’s medical record and assists with establishing medical necessity for orthotic and/or prosthetic care. Most Orthotists and Prosthetists usually work out of an “O&P facility”.

“Orthotist: A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive orthotic patient care, including musculoskeletal and neuromuscular anomalies resulting from injuries or disease processes involving the lower extremity, upper extremity or spinal segment/s and positional deformation of the cranium. Orthotists assess specific patient needs, formulate an appropriate treatment plan, implement the treatment plan and provide follow-up care.

Prosthetist: A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive prosthetic patient care for individuals who have sustained complete or partial limb loss or absence. Prosthetists assess specific patient needs, formulate an appropriate treatment plan, implement the treatment plan and provide follow-up care.”

A Certified Fitter of therapeutic shoes is a healthcare professional specifically educated and trained to provide non-custom therapeutic shoes and non-custom multi-density inserts. This includes patient assessment, formulation of a treatment plan, implementation of the treatment plan and follow-up. Shoe fitters usually work out of specialty shoe stores, medical equipment stores and pharmacies under the guidance of more qualified providers.

An Orthotic Fitter is a healthcare professional who is educated and trained in fitting prefabricated (custom fitted) and/or non-custom fabricated orthoses.

“Orthotic Devices/Modalities” include ankle-foot orthosis, knee-ankle-foot orthosis, hip-knee-ankle-foot orthosis, hip orthosis, knee orthosis, cervical orthosis, thoracic and lumbar orthosis, wrist-hand orthosis, shoulder-elbow orthosis, foot orthosis, diabetic shoes and inserts (non custom and custom) and gradient compression garments.

An Orthotic Fitter fits prefabricated (custom fitted) and/or non-custom fabricated orthotic devices designed to provide for the support, alignment, prevention, and/or correction of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disease, injury, or deformity. Ascertain physician/clinician’s diagnosis, gather information, examine patient, and evaluate. Determine the patient’s realistic expectations and consult with the clinician as appropriate.

A clinician is defined as any healthcare provider who has the legal and/or licensed authority in the state to order or prescribe medical care. Select appropriate orthosis, device(s), measure, assemble, and apply orthosis to the patient. Modify, adjust and conduct trial fittings. Facilitate patient’s understanding and conduct appropriate follow-up.

The Certified DME professional helps with basic repairs, troubleshooting, and home inspections for DME (Durable Medical Equipment) products like oxygen, transfer systems, enteral feeding supplies, and wound care. Some DME providers also fit orthopedic footwear. Certified DME specialists are highly valued in the industry as an assurance to patients and as trusted sources of professionalism and quality care.

“A supplier of medical equipment such as respirators, wheelchairs, home dialysis systems, or monitoring systems, that are prescribed by a physician for a patient's use in the home and that are usable for an extended period of time.”

Some pharmacies, especially those in rural or under-serviced areas, will size, order and fit footwear. Call your local pharmacist to inquire which services they provide.

“An individual licensed by the appropriate state regulatory agency to engage in the practice of pharmacy. The practice of pharmacy includes, but is not limited to, assessment, interpretation, evaluation, and implementation, initiation, monitoring or modification of medication and or medical orders; the compounding or dispensing of medication and or medical orders; participation in drug and device procurement, storage, and selection; drug administration; drug regimen reviews; drug or drug-related research; provision of patient education and the provision of those acts or services necessary to provide medication therapy management services in all areas of patient care.”

“Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles. PTs: 1.Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. 2.Restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality of life as it relates to movement and health. 3.Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries. 4.Treat conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems. 5.Address the negative effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors as they relate to human performance. 6.PTs provide care for people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes. State licensure is required in each state in which a PT practices.”

“An occupational therapist is a person who has graduated from an entry-level occupational therapy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizations, or approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), or an equivalent international occupational therapy education program; has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience required by the occupational therapy program; has passed a nationally recognized entry-level examination for occupational therapists, and fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or registration. An occupational therapist provides interventions based on evaluation and which emphasize the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (i.e., occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of facilitating participation in roles and situations and in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness and are provided to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapists address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of occupational performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.”

A Certified Wound Specialist is a board certified healthcare professional with a master level knowledge specializing in wound care who collaborates with the various disciplines and organizations involved in providing wound care management.

A CWS is a A licensed DO, DPM, MD, NP, DVM, PA, PT, OT, PharmD, RD, or RN with 3 or more years of clinical wound care experience. The practitioner must possess a full and unrestricted professional license in at least one state and in all states in which the candidate currently practices.

The Lymphology Association of North America, LANA, certifies healthcare professionals who diagnose and/or treat lymphedema and related disorders. LANA’s alliance of medical professionals from diverse disciplines utilizes their comprehensive knowledge of the lymphatic system to assess, plan, and provide therapeutic intervention to help restore or maximize function and improve quality of life.