Feb
24
Written by:
Larry Huppin, DPM
2/24/2011 2:07 PM
All of us at ProLab are proud to announce that Paul Scherer, DPM is the author of a new textbook on orthotic therapy:
"Recent Advances in Orthotic Therapy: Improving Clinical Outcomes with a Pathology-Specific Approach" by Paul Scherer, DPM. Published by Lower Extremity Review.
The book is focused on evidence based orthotic therapy and organized in a pathology specfic approach. Paul has done an exceptional job of pulling together the available scientific research to support the use of custom foot orthoses for different pathologies. Each chapter includes a guide on recommended orthotic prescription writing for functional orthoses for the particular pathology. I think most podiatrists who practice orthotic therapy can benefit from reading this book. In particular those of you who teach orthotic therapy or are currently students or residents will find it to be an invaluable resource.
In the forward, Paul explained his motivation for writing this book:
I have been appalled by the amount of pseudoscientific nonsense that has been published, especially on today’s Internet. Actually, the bulk of information about orthoses is not produced by professional scholars but rather by financial opportunists and amateurs who work outside of academia.The reader must understand that the nonscientific nonscholar is not held to the same standards of peer review and scrutiny as the academic community. I have attempted to avoid referencing this type of material in hopes of providing accurate and helpful information that the clinician can build upon with practice and experience.
The topic of orthotic therapy began with uncritical thinking or blatant proselytizing, which today can still be found in the lecture hall and on the Internet. The professions that utilize orthoses frequently embrace these enthusiasts because they are passionate and sometimes entertaining; a good story or a charismatic lecturer trumps boring data every time. But this scenario also, unfortunately, buries the truth about what works and what does not work concerning foot orthoses. I do not mean to insult the overly enthusiastic preachers of orthoses but rather will try to separate the evidence from the wishful thinking, so that the serious professional will not be misled by the faulty or erroneous conclusions that are in circulation.
It is my desire that this text and its philosophy of pathology-specific orthoses improve clinical outcomes, promote more consistent research, and advance the acceptance of orthotic therapy as a valued therapeutic modality.
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