Mark: The accident occurred in October 2007. It involved a piece of steel pipe weighing about 1,500 pounds falling from a forklift. The pipe landed on my right foot, crushing my foot and causing considerable injury to my right foot.
Scott: Mark’s physician, Dr. Goldenberg referred him for pedorthic treatment after his accident. The diagnosis was nerve damage to Mark’s foot resulting in neuropathy, a loss of sensation of the foot which can have serious consequences. Working with WSIB, I assessed Mark and created a pedorthic treatment plan. His injured foot pronated severely to the side so I created custom orthotics to control the weight distribution and improve the function of the foot. The custom dual-density orthotics with the soft foam top-cover helps to provide greater stability while providing shock absorption and cushioning.
He also suffered with metatarsalgia so we created modified shoes by putting a rigid rocker sole on the dress shoe. We also provided running shoes with a rocker sole to help Mark walk and push off more easily, taking some of the pressure off his foot and legs as he walks.
Mark: My pedorthist has helped me considerably. Before the accident I was unable to walk for any amount of time in normal shoes, and now since I’ve had the modified footwear with the orthotic I can pretty well have a normal day on my feet. So it’s been great.
Scott: Two out of three workers in Canada suffer from some sort of foot problem in their lifetime. To minimize your risk in the industrial environment, don’t cheap out. Always wear quality safety footwear with a steel toe. Equally important, always tie them up properly and buy footwear that fits perfectly so the steel toe fully covers your toes for optimal safety. In Mark’s case, his injuries would have been much more severe if he wasn’t wearing the steel toe. The most use and abuse on your feet happens in the workplace, so make sure you take care of them.
