DR. BARRY BLOCK, PODIATRIST TALKS ABOUT THE 'DYING ART OF BIOMECHANICS'

 

 

 

DR. BARRY H. BLOCK, PODIATRIST STATES, "THE RECENT PASSING OF BIOMECHANICS PIONEER THOMAS SGARLATO, DPM IS YET ANOTHER REMINDER OF THE DYING ART OF THIS INTRINSIC PART OF PODIATRY.  THIS LOSS TO OUR SPECIALTY FOLLOWS THAT OF OTHER ICONS SUCH AS MERTON ROOT, JOHN WEED AND RICHARD SCHUSTER, TO NAME A FEW.  THESE GIANTS PAVED THE WAY TO OUR UNIQUE PLACE ON THE HEALTHCARE TEAM.

SADLY, THE LEGACY THESE PIONEERS LEFT HAS BEEN SLOWLY ERODED AND THE EMPHASIS TODAY IS ON CREATING FOOT AND ANKLE SURGEONS.  IN THE PAST, PODIATRIC STUDENTS WERE TAUGHT TO ACTUALLY CREATE CUSTOM ORTHOTICS.  THESE DAYS, THIS FUNDAMENTAL SKILL HAS BEEN DE-EMPHASIZED OR ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER.  CPME 320 MANDATES THAT A PODIATRIC RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT INCLUDE AT LEAST 300 SURGICAL CASES VERSUS 75 BIOMECHANICAL CASES.

IN A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT IS RAPIDLY CHANGING OVER TO VALUE-BASED REIMBURSEMENTS, THE DECISION TO STRESS FOOT AND ANKLE SURGERY AT THE EXPENSE OF BIOMECHANICS COULD PROVE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.  IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUTCOMES ARE RELATED TO PAYMENT, THE OFF-LOADING OF DIABETIC ULCERS SEEMS TO CLEARLY TRUMP THE USE OF EXTERNAL FIXATION OF A CHARCOT FOOT.

FORTUNATELY, BIOMECHANICS IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL AND KICKING, AS EVIDENCED BY THE RECENT ANNUAL RICHARD SCHUSTER MEMORIAL LECTURES HELD EACH NOVEMBER AT THE NEW YORK COLLEGE OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE.  THIS SEMINAR WAS THE BRAINCHILD OF DR. SCHUSTER DISCIPLE DR. JOSEPH D'AMICO, WHOSE ARTICLE APPEARS IN THIS SPECIAL BIOMECHANICS-FOCUSED ISSUE.  WE ENCOURAGE ALL PRACTITIONERS, ESPECIALLY NEW GRADUATES, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPURTUNITIES LIKE THESE TO HONE THESE CRITICAL SKILLS, WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU TO BETTER SERVE YOUR PATIENT POPULATION AND PRODUCE BETTER OUTCOMES."

WELL STATED!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY DR. JOHN A. HARDY, OWNER OF TORONTO FOOT CLINIC, ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS.

PROFESSIONAL FOOT CLINIC

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