When you come for your initial assessment with a Canadian Certified Pedorthist, be prepared by bringing the prescription from the referring professional. As well, also bring a pair of shorts or wear loose fitting clothing because part of the assessment involves examination of your lower limbs and your feet. Another good idea is to bring your work shoes or the shoes that you would wear for daily activities, whether it’s for workouts or work or just general walking.
During your initial assessment, we’re going to look at a gait analysis. In other words, we’re going to watch how you walk and examine that. We’re also going to look at your footwear and give you advice on why your footwear is or isn’t appropriate and what footwear would be more appropriate given your condition and your lifestyle. We’ll do functional testing. We’ll look at you standing, sitting, and lying down. We’ll check the range of motions of your joints and we’ll test strength of the muscles around your joints.
Pedorthic services are not covered by provincial healthcare programs but you may have coverage through your employer’s health benefits program. As well, WSIB and Veterans Affairs may cover some of the expenses of a pedorthist. In some cases, you may be eligible for a subsidy through social assistance as well.
