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Thursday, June 26, 2008

Podiatry Jargon Interpreted

Read this which is written by a podiatrist:

"Footwear can be particularly useful in helping to reduce trauma to the calcaneal apophysis and incorporating some degree of positive pitch (heel raise) to the foot thereby reducing the pulling from the gistro soleil complex."

By the way: It is not “gistro” it is “gastro "(gastrocnemius).

Why do some health professionals persist in using such unintelligible language? Pompous professional ego-pumping? Or, is it to justify charging $800 for a $10 heel insert? Its maddening. All it does is confuse their patients and reduces the flow of information from professional to patient (education) and at the risk of causing a kind of unhealthy dependency.

What he is saying?

“If there is heel pain, a heel raise may be helpful by reducing strain on the calf muscle and heel bone”.

My advice: Hire an interpreter next time you go get your toenails trimmed



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Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Would be nice to know what context that paragraph was used in. If it was used to communicate with other professionals then it is more than appropriate. I highly doubt that a podiatrist (or any professional) would be talking to patients like that, as it is clearly a barrier.
A heel raise for $800, you are clearly misinformed and I suggest you do some reseach on medical grade, custom orthoses.
Think next time I get a painful joint, I will get in contact with you to invent a magical potion of vitamins that will cost me the earth and will only simply improve the vitamin content of my urine.

Gary Moller said...

Yes, it is being published in a magazine.

I was being provocative about the heel raise which I have lumped in with other shoe inserts. One orthotic insert I came across was charged to ACC at just over $800 (incl the professional fee). While the average seems to be about $2-400. materials would amount to about $10.

Most don't work and I enjoy discarding these restricting and uncomfortable devices to the waste bin much to the welcome relief of the owner.

Response?

Anonymous said...

May I suggest that you confirm some of your accusations before posting them. Orthotics in fact cost far more than $10 to manufacture. I can promise you that. Perhaps you are just "being provocative" again... In Australia, custom devices cost $140 at a minimum from a third party.

In my opinion it is highly unprofessional of you to post your ill informed opinions on your website. It is especially unprofessional to degrade entire professions. I suggest you put more thought into your entries before going ahead and posting them.

Gary Moller said...

I knew I was taking a risk raising this subject: Challenging the cost and need for orthotic inserts for healthy people is a bit like challenging religious beliefs!

Referring to orthotics for fit young people - athletes and the like:

What are the materials and labour costs for a pair of orthotics?

What is the typical cost and range of these?

Do orthotics really work? Where is the evidence and how robust is it?

Has anybody ever researched compliance? How long is an orthotic insert typically worn before being discarded?

In 99% of cases that I have encountered the need for orthotics is not warranted. In fact, I can not think of a single justifiable case for orthotics for other than a short period of use.

Corrective exercises and a new coach do a much better job.