Summary: A Certified Pedorthist (C. Ped) is a healthcare professional specially trained to assess, design, and fit custom orthotics and footwear modifications to address foot, ankle, and lower limb pain, among other symptoms. Certified Pedorthists are distinct from podiatrists, who are medical doctors focused on diagnosing and treating foot disease and injury.
At Biocorrect, the experts crafting your custom orthotics are Certified Pedorthists. It’s a title that sounds good, but may not mean anything to you. It looks and sounds a little like “podiatrist” but is distinct and requires different training and expertise.
Does the training matter when you’re just looking for an orthotic? Is one specialist a better place to start than the other when you’re dealing with chronic foot or leg pain? Let’s find out together.
What training does a Certified Pedorthist have?
Becoming a Certified Pedorthist requires a combination of formal education and hands-on clinical experience. C. Peds must have at least 1,000 hours of supervised patient pedorthic care and must complete a structured pedorthic education program covering topics like anatomy, biomechanics, pathology, and orthotic fabrication to be eligible for certification.
To become board certified, candidates must then pass an exam administered by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics (ABC), candidates must also log a set number of supervised clinical hours working directly with patients.
Alternately, C. Peds may take the exam after only 500 hours of patient care experience if they have a license in a related health profession, such as physical therapy.
In either case, it’s a rigorous and standardized path toward certification, which demonstrates the quality of care and commitment these specialists have.
What every Certified Pedorthist learns from their training is that foot mechanics don’t exist in isolation. Only by understanding the full kinetic chain can we effectively design orthotics that support not just your feet, but your entire body.
When should I see a podiatrist vs. pedorthist?
A podiatrist is a licensed medical doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases, injuries, and structural conditions of the foot and lower leg. If you have a fracture, an infection, ingrown toenails, plantar fasciitis that require medical intervention, or a condition that may need surgery, a podiatrist is the right starting point.
A Certified Pedorthist’s focus is on non-surgical, orthotic-based solutions. They assess how your feet function, identify biomechanical issues, and design custom orthotics to correct those issues. Pedorthists cannot diagnose and will support physician directed diagnoses and plans after an evaluation or take an existing diagnosis from a physician and translate it into a corrective solution you wear every day.
Although it might seem there’s overlap in who treats foot conditions, these roles complement each other well. Many podiatrists refer their patients to Biocorrect specifically because orthotic fabrication and fitting is a distinct skill set—one that takes time, training, and hands-on expertise to do well.
In some cases, our team might recommend orthotics in addition to seeing a physical therapist for related treatment. Some conditions respond best to a comprehensive treatment plan. Custom orthotics often support and enhance the outcomes achieved through physical therapy by maintaining proper alignment and reducing strain during treatment for certain conditions.
Why do physicians and podiatrists refer their patients to Biocorrect?
The short answer is expertise. The longer answer is that Biocorrect has been serving patients for decades with truly custom-built orthotic solutions, and our reputation speaks for itself.
Many orthotic providers work from prefabricated templates or offer semi-custom solutions that are based on a standard mold that is adjusted for your foot. Our fabricators don’t do that. Every orthotic is built from the ground up, specifically for you, in our fabrication lab in West Michigan. That means the materials, the arch support, the shape, and the corrective structure are all designed around your unique foot mechanics—not a general approximation of them.
Physicians trust us because their patients come back with real results. Our orthotics are designed to complement the treatment plan already in place, whether that’s post-surgical recovery, management of chronic conditions, or preventive care.
Finally, not every orthotic provider offers the adjustment benefits we do. Things change over time; sometimes an orthotic needs a tweak after you break it in or if your lifestyle changes. This ongoing commitment to your comfort is part of what makes our service unique.
Discover how experience makes a difference
Custom foot orthotics are medical devices that, if all goes well, you’ll wear every day of your life. Something this important to your routine should have the experienced and expert craftsmanship you’d expect from any other medical treatment you seek. That’s why our Certified Pedorthists are highly trained experts in their field and are always building on the knowledge our company has accrued over the decades we’ve been serving patients nationwide.
If you’re ready to find out what the right support can do for you, our team is here to help. Request your initial evaluation online today to take the first step toward lasting comfort and better movement. Schedule your initial evaluation at our Kentwood Michigan clinic or request virtual care from anywhere.