PFA 0200107 JanFeb07 · PFA’s 2006 Symposium & Exposition A Huge Success 24 January/February 2007...

Current Pedorthicswww.pedorthics.com

Volume 39, Number 1 January/February 2007

PFA’S 2006 Symposium Wrap-Up

3December 2006/January 2007 • Current Pedorthics

CONTENTS

FeaturesPedorthic Management of Arthritis 6

Thinking Outside the Shoebox: Answersto Pedorthic Marketing Questions 16

Preview for Pedal Pushers 18

Bad Break: Avoid World-ClassFootwear Injuries 20

PFA’s 2006 Symposium & Exposition A Huge Success 24

January/February 2007

PFA: A Year in Review,A Glimpse of the FuturePFA: A Year in Review,A Glimpse of the Future

12

DepartmentsAssociation News 28

Vendor News 32

Pedorthic Industry Events 36

Government Affairs 38

Pedorthic Marketplace 46

New PFA Members 48

Pedorthic Product Reference 50

On the Cover: PFA members enjoy amemorable symposium. The 2006event featured a sold-out exhibit floor.

Current Pedorthics (ISSN 1552-8111) is published bimonthly by the Pedorthic Footwear Association(PFA), 2025 M St., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: 202-367-1145 or 800-673-8447,Fax: 202-367-2145, Web site: www.pedorthics.org, E-mail: [email protected]. Copyright© 2007, PFA.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without writtenpermission. Letters to the Editor and other unsolicited material are assumed intended for publication andare subject to editing.

Articles in CP do not necessarily reflect the opinion of PFA, its Board of Directors or its employees. CP’suse of trademarked names is done in an editorial fashion intended to benefit the trademark owner, withno intention of trademark infringement.

Subscriptions are available for $45 per year in the United States ($65 outside USA). Back copies, if available,may be purchased for $ U.S. 5.00.

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Please send all Prodcut News press releases to [email protected].

Editorial StaffJay Strother ..............................................................................................................PublisherDennis Coyle ................................................................................................................EditorWilliam Wargo............................................................................................Design/Production

Advertising & ServicesBrian K. Lagana ..........................................................................................Membership SalesBrian K. Lagana..........................................................................................Current PedorthicsMonica Karlemann ........................................................................................PFA Symposium

Pedorthic Footwear Association Board of DirectorsRandy Stevens, C. Ped., President Dane LaFontsee, C. Ped., Vice PresidentKristi Hayes, C. Ped., Secretary/TreasurerMike Forgrave, C. Ped., C. Ped. (C),Immediate Past PresidentJamie Dick, PT, C. Ped., DirectorArthur Smuckler, C. Ped., DirectorMichael D. Veder, C. Ped., CO, BOCO, DirectorFaith Ballard, C. Ped., CO, DirectorAlan Barthold, C. Ped., DirectorHarlon Compton, C. Ped., CO, Director

Liz Chiles, C. Ped., DirectorStuart L. Pressman, C. Ped., CO, DirectorPaul A. Chromey, C. Ped., DPM, DirectorDavid Solomon, Vendor/ManufacturerMember LiaisonAllan J. Weiner, Legal CounselBrian K. Lagana, Executive DirectorDavid J. Levine, DPM, Medical AdvisorsCraig Young, MD, Medical AdvisorsRaymond L. Fritz, Medical Advisors

4 Current Pedorthics • January/February 2007

Pedorthic Footwear Association2025 M St., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: 202-367-1145or 800-673-8447, Fax: 202-367-2145

Executive Director Brian K. Lagana

Senior Association AssistantDavid Lind

Director of EducationAl Baggett

Education AssistantAndrea Tsupros

Meetings and ConventionsManagerAudra Franks

Exhibits and SponsorshipCoordinatorMonica Kurlemann

Membership Recruitmentand RetentionAl Lehtonen

Headquarters Staff

AD PageName: Aravon/New Balance

Location: Pickup: October/November 2006; page 5


Do you have joint problems including pain,stiffness, inflammation and damage to jointcartilage and surrounding structures? Does ithurt to walk or move? Such damage can lead

to joint weakness, instability and visible deformitiesthat, depending on the location of joint involvement,can interfere with the most basic daily tasks.

Arnold Davis, C. Ped., presented “Pedorthic Managementof Arthritis” during the Pedorthic Footwear Association’s48th Annual Symposium & Exposition. Davis, whofounded Davis Shoe Therapeutics in 1977, spoke fromhis experience in the industry and discussed howpeople can effectively manage the often painful anduncomfortable stress of arthritis.

Davis focused on three types of arthritis, their affectsand pedorthic objectives to alleviate or amend the pain.The three types of arthritis include the following:

• Osteoarthritis (DJD) – This type of arthritis is local,not systemic, but it can involve several joints. Thechanges are degenerative, and they are caused bywear and tear, time, overuse or poor mechanics.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis – This type of arthritis is asystemic disease. It has an autoimmune componentand is characterized by profound deformities of thehands and feet. Rheumatoid arthritis is both chronicand destructive.

• Traumatic Arthritis – This type of arthritis is causedby external trauma to a joint or joints. It can causejoint dysfunction and rigidity. It induces compensation.It is associated with chronic pain and nerve entrapment.

Pedorthic management of arthritis is crucial in caringfor and treating some of the painful symptoms ofarthritis. What can pedorthics do for you?

• Stop painful motion;

• Prevent compensation (can lead to pains elsewhere);

• Align joints so they function on their axis;

• Facilitate forward motion;

• Diffuse areas of high pressure; and

• Improve stability and balance.

Davis noted different pedorthic modalities work to easethe pains and frustrations noted in the above list. Theseproducts and devices come in many forms to suit yourparticular needs. They include:

• Over-the-counter comfort footwear;

• Foot aids and orthotic devices;

• Therapeutic modifications to footwear;

• Ready-made in-depth footwear;

• Custom-made and molded footwear; and

• Ankle foot orthoses.

Davis said that painful consequences often accompanyarthritis. The upside is that you can often find a way toalleviate some of the suffering. Symptoms vary fromperson to person.

Fixed or Immobile JointsWhen this arthritic symptom occurs, often a personwill search for ways to compensate to avoid having touse these joints. When you compensate, ultimately youend up injuring or weakening other limbs or joints inthe process.

Pedorthics works to prevent compensation throughdifferent methods. When the immobility is in thesagital plan joints including metatarsal phalangealjoints (MPJs), Lisfranc, ankle or knee, the affectedperson may wear rocker-bottom soles.

Rocker-bottom soles can be as beneficial to mechanicalcontrol of painful foot disorders as foot orthotic devices.While foot orthotic devices address problems of frontal

PEDORTHIC MANAGEMENT OF ARTHRITISBy Theresa Rubinas

ARTHRITIS continued on page 8

Pedorthics works to prevent compensation

through different methods. When the immobility

is in the sagital plan joints including metatarsal

phalangeal joints (MPJs), Lisfranc, ankle

or knee, the affected person may wear rocker-

bottom soles.

AD PageName: Aravon/New Balance

Location: Pickup: October/November 2006; page 7


plane and transverse plane motion, rocker-bottom soles addressproblems of sagital plane motion. Since walking occurs on thesagital plane, there are a number of problems well addressedby this modality when applied in conjunction with anunderstanding of biomechanics. Like orthotic devices, rocker-bottom soles inhibit unwanted compensation and reduceground-reactive forces to areas of high pressure and stress.

Rocker-bottom soles control motion in the ankle joint, thelisfranc joint, and the MPJs, as well as reduce ground-reactiveforces to the metatarsal heads, the toes, and any area of thefoot over which the body propels.

• Ankle Joint Rocker – Inhibits demand for motion inankle joint.

• Lisfranc Rocker – Reduces propulsive force to mid-foot.

• MPJ Rocker – Inhibits demand for dorsiflexion of toes.

Rocker-bottom soles require certain criteria to ensure they

function properly. All rocker bottoms must have a flat spotfor a static stance. They must have the fulcrumsperpendicular to the line of progression and the distal endmust roll up at the termination point.

Rigid JointsDavis said, “The first approach should always be to useorthotic devices to address mechanical deficiencies becausethey can be moved from shoe to shoe as opposed to rocker-bottom soles which must be applied to each pair. The characteristics an orthotic device must have to address rigidjoints must be determined by what joints we are dealing with.”

He explained that the ankle is addressed by heel elevation, whichcan only slightly be incorporated into an orthotic device. Thesubtalar joint (STJ) is addressed by the tilt of the heel cup andsupport the exact position it is in relative to the ground planeif the STJ is rigid.

ARTHRITIS continued from page 6

There are three general rules for rocker-bottom therapy.The soles need to be made following these rules toensure that the rocker bottom works properly with aperson’s movements. First, the rocker bottom needs aflat spot at the midstance point of the rocker will pro-vide stability during static stance. (Flat spot) Next,each fulcrum should be angled perpendicular to the lineof progression, not the longitudinal axis of the shoe.(Line of Progression 1) Finally, the rocker should rollup at the terminal point of the stance phase of gaitwhere, in extreme cases, can occur anywhere from themedial aspect of the 1st MTP joint to the lateral aspectof the 5th MTP joint. (Line of Progression 2)

Line of Progression 2Line of Progression 1

Flat Spot

9January/February 2007 • Current Pedorthics

“If motion exists but is painful, it should position the STJ asclose to neutral as possible. The device should have shock-absorbing qualities at the heel,” Davis advised.

For listfranc joint arthritis, the device should be rigid andsupportive through the mid-foot. For metatarsal phalangealjoints, a forefoot extention should be added to a rigidfunctional device or if the device is made from laminationsof thermal moldable foams, then the device should extendthe full length of the shoe and support the metatarsal headsin their valgus or varus position, whichever the case may be.

Knee Fixed in Flexion or ExtensionWhen the knee is fixed in flexion, it causes excessivedorsiflexory demands on the ankle joint. Compensationoccurs at the subtalar joint with excessive pronation.

As a solution to a knee fixed in flexion, Davis suggestedelevating the heel. He added, “Besides over-the-counter heel-lifts, the elevations would have to be fabricated ontothe heels of the shoes with raw materials.”

The normal swing phase requires flexing of the knees.When the knee is fixed in extension, compensation occursby circumvention of the leg or lifting of the hip to clear theground. A lift on the unaffected side will prevent the needfor this compensation.

Traumatic Arthritis Involving a Rigid Ankle and Subtalar JointDavis referred to traumatic arthritis as crushing or compressioninjuries. He explained, “It may be from a fall, a gun shotwound, or something dropped onto the foot. Micro-traumacan also affect the joint but in that case we are reallydiscussing overuse or degeneration which would beclassified as osteo-arthritis.”

The impact is to the heel and there is no shock or torsionalattention. The fat pad is destructed. With this type of arthritis,compensation occurs at knee and lisfranc.

Limited Painful Motion and CrepitusFirm or rigid orthotic devices balanced to the sulcus can assistwith painful motion and crepitus. Rocker-bottom soles canhelp in this regard, as they can ease the pain as well as increasethe range of motion. Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) can also beused to compensate for limited painful motion and crepitus.AFOs come in different forms including hinged AFOs, AFOsfor non-flat surfaces, and brace boots/crow walkers.

Therapists often recommend, and physicians frequentlyprescribe the ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for patients withgait deviations that relate to muscle weakness. The AFOsubstitutes for weak dorsiflexors during swing and, moreimportantly, for weak plantar flexors during stance.

The CROW is a custom-fabricated, bivalved, total contactorthosis incorporating a custom foot insert, soft liner andrigid outer shell with a solid ankle cushion heel (SACH) androcker bottom. It is designed specifically to reduce shear and

stress forces acting on the foot, equalize weightbearing, andminimize axial loading of the plantar surface.

Joint SubluxationSubluxed or Dislocated JointsTo fix this condition different shoes can be crafted for the foot.The shoe can be custom molded to fit the foot using Plastazoteand Poron or Visco-Elastic Polymer. In the case of posterior tibialistendon rupture, a person would need a total contact orthoticto support mid-foot and accommodate boney prominences.

Inflammation and DeformityOsteoarthritisPedorthic modalities for osteoarthritis include functional oraccommodating orthotics, rocker-bottom soles, in-depthfootwear, and shoe stretching.

Rheumatoid ArthritisFor complete foot involvement, a person can attain custom-molded shoes and boots. For forefoot involvement, there is

ARTHRITIS continued on page 10


in-depth footwear with soft uppers and widening. Similarly,there are sandals with adjustable straps available.

Protruding Bones and NodulesMany devices can be adjusted to work with protruding bonesand nodules in the feet. Stretching and reshaping the upperand making modifications to the upper and cut-outs are astart. In addition, excavating the insole board and themidsole as well as grinding away parts of the outsole canmake a shoe fit better and more comfortably.

Genu ValgumFor extreme genu valgum, shoes can be customized withlateral wedging, lateral flaring, wide medial flare, and medialroll-off. A stronger, more supportive shoe combined withover-the-counter or custom orthotics will reduce thepronation and help to maintain correct knee positioning.

Calcaneal ValgusTo treat this condition, pedorthic management can be foundwith in-depth footwear. This footwear allows for flaring,widening the shank area and reinforcing counters. Similarlycustom-molded shoes can be made with wide shanks.

Limited Hip Range of MotionWhen a person has limited hip range of motion, shoemodifications can be made to assist the person in walking.

These shoe modifications include the following:

• Sticks, hooks and long shoe horns;

• Elastic laces and openings;

• Rear zippers;

• Velcro straps; and

• Open back shoes.

Clogs and slippers are also a great option as they easily slideon a person’s feet and are good for shuffling around the house.

Hand InvolvementHand DysfunctionPutting on shoes each day does not need to be an arduoustask. If you have issues with your hands due to arthritis,explore these options to ease your time with typical shoe-tying problems. Change from shoe laces to Velcro shoes,zippers or elastic to make putting on and taking off shoesless strenuous.

Fashion and AestheticsAs better materials and styles become available, it is importantfor more design to be applied to orthotics. For this reason,pedorthic companies are working to create devices that workto not only aid in easing the discomfort of a painful condition,but also in working to create footwear that is more pleasingto the eye.

Davis Shoe Therapeutics is one company that is workingtoward that goal. Davis Shoe Therapeutics uses the mostadvanced techniques in gait analysis and lower-extremitybiomechanics. They incorporate the highest standards ofcustom shoe-making technology, and the company staysabreast of the latest shoe-fashion trends and incorporatesthem into their products.

“However,” Davis noted, “the thicker the shoes, the more“orthopedic” they will look. To make shoes look fashionable,they must be designed to not have one ounce more shoe thannecessary, nor one ounce less than necessary. To accomplishthis risky feat takes many years of shoemaking experience, agood sense of design and aesthetics, a desire to please theclient’s emotional needs, and several fittings.”

Currently, this is an expensive and time-consuming processthat can only be done for the privileged few. Davis addedthat there is new technology on the horizon that will addressthis area more cost effectively and it involves computer-generated laser design, pattern design and manufacturing.

Davis Shoe Therapeutics is presently collaborating with theOtabo Co. in Florida to develop what is now only a fashion-producing process, into a solution for pedorthists to use infitting people with mild to sever foot problems.

ARTHRITIS continued from page 9

Rigid vs. non-rigid rocker bottoms. The purpose of incorporating a rigidplastic or steel full length plate into a rocker is to maintain the fulcrum andprevent it from dissipating into the insole of the shoe. If the rocker angle atthe distal end of the shoe is deficient, neither of these materials will preventthe shoe from bending. Rocker-bottom soles come in different forms tocompensate for an individual’s needs (i.e. ankle-joint rocker, lisfranc rocker,met-head rocker, etc.).

AD PageName: ACOR

Location: Pickup: August-September 2006; page 37


The end of the year is a good time to look backon the Pedorthic Footwear Association’s mis-sion and evaluate whether its activities for thepast year kept track with that mission. 2006

was another very successful year for PFA, adhering tothe association’s mission statement developed by themembership during the 2003 strategic planning process.2007 promises a level of activity and commitmentto advancing the pedorthic profession that could onlybe provided by the only national association solelydedicated to the practice of pedorthics.

The following is a wrap-up of PFA’s activities in itscritical functional areas during the past year and a lookat what is coming up in 2007.

Education• PFA’s 2005 annual Symposium and Exposition broke

attendance records with more than 1,000 participants.

• Eleven continuing education programs were scheduledvia audio seminar and across the country in hands-onprograms. Programming topics were developed basedon member surveys of what they wanted PFA to offer.Of the 11, PFA was forced to cancel three due to lackof attendance. However, the remaining eight sessions,including the new and advanced cadaver-basedanatomy course, were sell-outs.

• PFA, is planning an active 2007 program. In 2007,PFA will present a two-day SCFO course, anothercadaver-based anatomy review program, three sports

medicine courses and an advanced shoe fitting courseon the West Coast. The 2007 program will befinalized by the Council on Pedorthic Education(COPE) in February, with the first programs beingheld in the spring. Information will be mailed to allPFA members following COPE’s February meeting.

• Chapter development on PFA’s second pedorthic textcontinues under the guidance of a professionaltechnical editor. This advanced textbook, designed toreplace PFA’s venerable Introduction to Pedorthics, isexpected to be ready for delivery during the thirdquarter of 2007.

• Planning is already underway for the 2007 Symposiumin San Antonio, Texas. “General Pedorthics: ExploringCommon Foot Problems” will be held Nov. 8-11.

• PFA’s Coding Committee is producing a guideoutlining all of the HCPCS codes that are applicableto a Certified or Licensed Pedorthist based on theBoard for Certification in Pedorthics’ (BCP) Scope ofPractice and state licensure statutes. PFA expects tohave this available to the membership in mid-2007.

Marketing and Communications• PFA’s Marketing and Communications Committee

was asked to review the current “Member of PFA”logo usage policy and discuss narrowing the scopeof usage from the entire membership to only CertifiedPedorthists. The committee recognizes that many C.Peds. prefer that non-certified pedorthists beprevented from using PFA’s logo. The prevailingopinion was that national organizations traditionallyallow and encourage their members to use theorganization’s logo, and therefore PFA’s membership

PFA: A YEAR IN REVIEW, A GLIMPSEINTO THE FUTUREBy Brian Lagana

PFA’s mission is to enhance the effectiveness

and efficiency of the certified pedorthist

through education, increase the demand

for the certified pedorthist’s services

through marketing, and defend the certified

pedorthist’s right to practice through

government affairs activities.


could rightfully expect to be able to use the “Member ofPFA” logo whether they are credentialed or not. “Memberof PFA” applies to manufacturers, doctors, shoe stores andothers who are not certified in pedorthics; the logoconveys membership and not a skill level. In essence, itcomes down to competence: certification is a qualification,while membership is not.

• PFA attended 10 allied healthcare association conferencesas an exhibitor during the past year, increasing awarenessof pedorthics and its many benefits amongst familyphysicians, diabetes educators, state legislators, physicaltherapists, O & P professionals, the general public andmany others. To continue that effort, PFA in 2007, willattend the following conferences:

American Physical Therapy Association CombinedSections Meeting, Feb. 14-18, Boston, Mass.

Pedorthic Association of Canada, April 27-29, 2007,Halifax, Nova Scotia

Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society AnnualMeeting, June 9-13, Salt Lake City, Utah

American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society’sSummer Meeting, July 12-15, Toronto, Ontario

American Orthopaedeic Society for Sports MedicineAnnual Meeting, July 12-15, Calgary, Alberta

American Association of Diabetes Educators, Aug. 1-4, St. Louis, Mo.

National Conference of State Legislatures, Aug. 5-9, Boston, Mass.

American Podiatric Medical Association, Aug. 16-19, Philadelphia, Pa.

American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’sNational Assembly, September

MedTrade, Oct. 2-4, 2007, Orlando, Fla.

American Academy of Family Physicians AnnualScientific Assembly, Oct. 3-7, Chicago, Ill.

• PFA will develop a “case study format” to enable C. Peds.to share information. Case studies on pedorthicinterventions are one way to gain support from alliedhealth professionals because case studies are proof thatback up the effectiveness of pedorthics. At present,however, C. Peds. are not required to produce case studiesand the basics have fallen into disuse.

• Current Pedorthics publishes numerous articles per yearwith a long shelf life. To make it easier for individuals torefer to those articles, PFA is planning to repackage articlesof similar topics into single paperback-type publicationsthat will be available through the Resource Center.

• PFA plans to update its current logo and revise and visuallyupgrade its pedorthic brochure series.

REVIEW continued on page 14


• Based on the success of its first comprehensive survey of thepedorthic profession in 2006, PFA will again conduct thisannual survey of its C. Ped. Members. The survey is criticalto allow PFA to develop a baseline of data on the pedorthicprofession and begin to analyze trends. Please be on thelookout for the 2007 survey during the first quarter of the year.

• PFA is working to create a quarterly newsletter forpedorthists’ patients. Content for the newsletter wouldcome from other PFA sources, but be written with yourpatients in mind, and made available through PFA’sResource Center for you to distribute in your practice’swaiting room.

• Finally, PFA’s Marketing and Communications Committeeapproved the concept of developing a series of shortsurveys, delivered via PFA’s Web site, as a way of gatheringadditional useful, real-time information on the professionto share with the membership at large.

Government Affairs• In November 2004, PFA’s membership approved a by-laws

change that allows the association to recognize statepedorthic associations. With pedorthic licensure beingconsidered by a growing number of states, the subsequentcreation of state associations to assist in the developmentof that legislation is a next logical step. Following member’sapproval to change the by-laws, PFA’s counsel developed aset of guidelines and procedures for PFA to use inextending recognition to state chapters. PFA’s GovernmentAffairs Committee, followed by the Board of Directors,approved those guidelines. A final refinement is in theworks before they become available for use.

• On Nov. 2, 2005, PFA collaborated with the WoundOstomy Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) to host aCapitol Hill briefing for Members of Congress and theirstaff on pedorthics and Medicare’s Therapeutic Shoes forDiabetics benefit (TSD). The briefing, sponsored byCongresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4), attracted 27members and staff, including Legislative Counsel from theHouse Ways and Means Committee. Brett Richey, PFAExecutive Director Brian Lagana, and PFA GovernmentAffairs Specialist Bill Applegate, represented PFA at thepresentation. Another briefing is in the works for January2007 as the 110th Congress reconvenes.

• Throughout 2006, PFA lobbied for additional co-sponsorsto its bill, H.R. 1416, introduced by CongresswomanCarolyn McCarthy (D-NY), which would set the clock backon the TSD to its pre-2003 MMA status. The bill garnered23 co-sponsors from both parties but failed to move in the109th Congress. PFA is already at work to have thisimportant piece of legislation reintroduced at the start ofthe 110th Congress.

• In September 2006, PFA’s then-Vice President RandyStevens and Executive Director Brian Lagana testified insupport of pedorthic licensure legislation in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania House’s Professional LicensureCommittee, which held the hearing on H.B. 401, was veryreceptive to all of the testimony heard that day and hopesare high that it will pass out of committee soon forconsideration by the full body. A Senate companion bill isstill necessary and it is believed that one will be introducedin the early days of the legislature’s next session.

• After considerable time and effort, the centers for Medicareand Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final rulesimplementing quality standards for DMEPOS suppliers,including pedorthists. PFA has championed such standardsfor a number of years. Meeting the requirements of thestandards, including individual certification and facilityaccreditation from a CMS recognized credentialingorganization, are essential elements to maintainingMedicare billing rights and being able to participate incompetitive bidding as appropriate.

• PFA continues to work with the SADMERC as it reviewsthe HCPCS codes for the TSD and develops a definitionfor a medical grade shoe. At this point, PFA’s Shoe CodeReview Task Force and Government Affairs Committeehave submitted to CMS proposed changes to the TSDLocal Coverage Determination (LCD), formerly the LocalMedical Review Policy (LMRP), which includescomprehensive rewrites of descriptors and codingguidelines. PFA was scheduled with meet with theSADMERC medical director and his staff several timesthis year, but the meetings were postponed due to criticalissues impacting SADMERC in other areas of DMEPOS.The shoe code review is a priority of the SADMERC and ameeting will be scheduled in the near future.

• CMS application forms require a taxonomy code to specifypractice setting or type of practitioner. Currently, there isno code specific to either pedorthists or pedorthic facilities.Beyond its functional uses, modifying an existing taxonomycode or creating an entirely new one that is pedorthicspecific will also serve to further enhance recognition ofthe profession, much like CMS’s modifications to the CMS-855S form. PFA is exploring possibilities to modifyan existing taxonomy code or create a new one specific topedorthists and will keep you updated on its progress.

• For the second year in a row, PFA exhibited at the NationalConference of State Legislature’s (NCSL) annual summermeeting to enhance recognition of pedorthics as an alliedhealthcare profession with licensing needs. Response fromattendees, consisting of legislatures and staff from all 50 statesand many foreign countries, was very positive. PFA willcontinue its participation at this important event in 2007.

PFA looks forward to 2007 and the possibilities that it bringsto advance the awareness of pedorthics throughout theUnited States and around the world. As always, we lookforward to your questions, comments and other feedback.We encourage you to contact PFA’s staff and volunteerleadership to express yourself.

REVIEW continued from page 13


This past November, I had the pleasure ofattending the PFA Symposium in Atlanta. I washonored to be chosen as a session leader. I hadan opportunity to talk with many professionals

involved in the industry, from presidents of multi-storechains to pedorthists working in specialized practices tomom-and-pop store owners and independent contractors.

Regardless of business size, the same questions keptcoming up, touching on a few basic challenges:

Question: For the past few years I have conducted monthly two-hour lunch-and-learn sessions for a specific long-term care facility, its doctors, nurses and other staffmembers. These events consist of bringing in lunch fora group of people, telling them a bit about my pedorthicpractice and offering ways they can refer business to me.The lunches cost about $150 a pop, plus my time, and Ihave no idea how much business I receive as a result.How can I better track the return on my investment?

My Response:Growing a business is all about building relationships.Face time in front of potential referral sources and/orpatients is a great way to begin relationships, but toleverage those relationships into actual profit, you mustbe conscious of the real cost of your own investment.That means that assuming a rate of $50 an hour to staffthe sessions, plus the $150 lunch expense, you arespending about $3,000 annually on the lunch-and-learns. Unless the referrals you receive translate intomore than $3,000 in net profit, not gross sales, thenyou are not making a wise investment.

The only way to know if these sessions are significantlyincreasing your business, and this goes for anypromotion or marketing program, is to begin askingnew patients how they found you. I encourage myclients to ask that question consistently on an ongoingbasis, but after even a month or two of charting thisfeedback, you should have a good idea of how yourpatients are finding you. Then you can track the profitsmade from the patients referred by the long-term carefacility. And then decide if your investment is paying off.On a side note, you might be surprised to find that mostpatients come to your door through the Internet. Referrals

can come from doctors you don’t even know and can thenyou can begin focusing your marketing efforts in areas thatare already making you money.

Question: Last spring I ordered 500 shoe horns with my logo onthem. I feel like I am wasting money giving them topatients who already see me so they have been takingup space in the closet for months. How can I use themto actually bring new patients into my practice?

My Response:While it is never a waste to show your appreciation tothe people who spend their dollars and time with you, Iunderstand your desire to use shoe horns as more thanthank-you gifts. However, this is where a little proactivemarketing can really pay off. Instead of leaving a jar ofshoe horns on the counter for every passerby, try mailingthem out with a letter and a special offer. Not knowingyour industry niche, I can offer a couple of examples.

If your practice sees a lot of sports-related patients, thenmailing the shoe horns to all the local athletic coachesand trainers might make sense. You can count on a letterwith a shoe horn inside will get opened. And, you canlet the recipients know that people they refer will receivea discount on their initial visit if they mention the shoe-horn promotion. Again, this will help you track whereyour patients are coming from, and you can follow-upwith those coaches and trainers who send you business.

If you have a store-front business, you could put asticker on a few of the shoe horns and create an in-store contest for your current patrons. As people checkout, let them reach in and take a shoe horn. If theysnag a stickered shoe horn, with a gold star or othercolored image, they get a percentage off their next bill.This way, you get to thank your clients and encouragetheir repeat business at the same time. It costs eighttimes more to generate new business than it does to getbusiness and referrals from your existing base. Takeadvantage of the opportunity to remind people whoalready know you, why they should keep coming back!

Lastly, before you order a promotional product like shoehorns again, make sure you have a plan for the productfirst. Don’t forget to include some way for clients to findyou on the actual imprint. My personal order of preference

THINKING OUTSIDE THE SHOEBOX: ANSWERSTO PEDORTHIC MARKETING QUESTIONSBy Seth Weiner, CAS


and where space permits: include your Web site, phonenumber, street address or at the very least, full business name.

Question:My wife and I own what I would call a small-to-mediumsized practice. We have a consistent patient base and enjoystrong relationships with local associates who provide the vastmajority of our clients through referrals. Neither of us has amarketing background and we do not have a budget set asidefor any kind of marketing or branding. Right now our biggestinvestment is in a Yellow Pages ad we buy each year. Whatare a few simple things we can do to boost our image?

My Response:The first suggestion I would offer you is to scale back yourYellow Pages ad. Whatever you are spending, spend less thisyear. You can track where your new patients are coming fromfirst, if this sounds in any way risky to you. If it turns out theYellow Pages are your main source of new patients, let meknow and I’ll buy you and your wife lunch! I am that surethat you can be spending your dollars more wisely elsewhere.

Consider this a business check list:

• Do you have a Web site? Is it up-to-date and accurate?A Web site doesn’t need to be anything fancy, but it isextremely helpful in making your practice look modern andprofessional to people who have not yet seen you in person.If you do not have a Web site, you should at the very leastown a domain name so that people who receive e-mails fromyou don’t see names such as, [email protected]@footforward.whatever let’s the average personknow that your business is legitimate, inspiring and createsan immediate level of trust.

• Do your business cards contain all the necessaryinformation? This may sound basic, but at an annualconference I was shocked to meet more people than Icould count who didn’t have business cards at all. Thosewho did, often lacked key info, such as a mailing address,an e-mail address or area code with their phone number.

• Are you keeping up with the Joneses? You have to stayaware of the competition. If they have an 800 number, youneed one. If they offer evening appointments, considerdoing the same. If their prices differ significantly fromyours, make sure you know why.

• Consistency, consistency, consistency. All printedmaterials should use the same colors and fonts. Thisshould be reflected on all forms, business cards and flyers,both in the office and certainly on anything posted or sent.If there is a tag line or wording that is used often, it shouldbe set as a template to make sure there is no slightvariation. Double checking spelling, formatting andpunctuation may seem extremely basic, but even onemistake can call your professionalism into question.

• Appearances matter. Someone once told me, “Dress forthe job you want, not the job you have.” So, take it up anotch. Your patients might not notice, but there might be a

new spring in your step and your positive attitude mightinspire you to be more productive.

• Use the resources you have available. When you areworking with your patients ask for referrals. Let themknow you are accepting new patients. Find out what theylike best about your service.

No matter what size your business is and/or what size yourmarketing budget is, you have to be smart about how youget noticed. One of the biggest downfalls of businesses ismarketing programs that never hit their mark. By the timemost companies realize their mistakes, it is often too late.Take the time to constantly analyze your marketing efforts.Just because everyone is doing something does not mean thatit is right for you. When you send out a mailer that does notwork, don’t make drastic changes. Instead, make a smallchange and see if that had an effect on results. If you maketoo many changes and then have a positive reply, you haveno way of knowing which variable actually worked.

Marketing takes planning and it takes a team effort. Whetheryour team is one or one hundred, the keys to success lie witheveryone being on board with the program. The amount youspend is never a recipe for success or failure. I always tell myclients: It’s not what you spend. It’s what you do with whatyou spend!


Cycle shoes, without doubt, are one of themost technical-sport-shoe categories in thevast athletic-footwear catalog. Along withcross-country ski and alpine-ski boots,

cycling footwear has undergone a quiet revolutionwithout touching the ground.

This is not surprising considering the technicalcomplexity of the pedal-and-crank mechanisms withwhich cycle shoes must interact. Shoes and pedals haveevolved a long way since clipless bindings took overfrom toeclips and straps. A flexi-soled shoe is anexception rather than the rule nowadays. Developedoriginally by the French ski-boot company, Look, in1980s, and based on its quick-release ski bindings,clipless pedals require a metal or plastic plate attached tothe cycling shoe, which in turn, engages with the pedal.

Cycle shoes fall into three basic categories: road,mountain biking and spinning – the popular gym andstationery indoor-training routine. State-of-the-art roadand track competition shoes have ultra-rigid nylonsoles molded with carbon fiber or titanium foroptimum pedaling efficiency. Holes are bored throughthe sole plate to fit popular pedal systems such asLook, Time, Campagnolo, Shimano and Speedplay.

In mountain biking, to facilitate walking, the bindingis recessed and the carbon-fiber plate is either coveredwith a heavier vulcanized rubber tread or a high-abrasion resistant molded PU material. Road soles tendto be more narrow and more curved than mountain-biking shoes where the sole should be somewhat widerin the sole and heel and flatter for portage. Some shoescan be adapted for either road or mountain biking buta specific, designated model that does not require anadapter plate aids in transferring power onto thepedals. The Shimano Pedaling Dynamics (SPD) system

was originally developed for mountain biking andtouring and is known for its easy access andelimination of mud and stone build-up on the sole.Some styles offer interchangeable studs for extra grip.

Spinning gained great popularity as a winter indoor-fitness-cycling activity in both Europe and NorthAmerica. Biemme, an Italian shoe brand, has developeda line of shoes especially for spinning. To prevent damageto studio flooring, the soles are covered with a softrubber and the uppers are made from softer leatherswith a high-density, poly-nylon liner for comfort.

Cycling shoe manufacturers are continually trying toproduce a comfortable, yet rigid-soled shoe for roadracing and only slightly-less demanding, mountain-bikeshoe markets. The latest sole developments include theaddition of carbon fiber with integrated-titaniumsections for stiffness and reduced weight. The sole’srigidity is critical to give the rider the sensation that thelegs and feet are bolted to the cranks and there is noslippage at the heel. This helps foot alignment and kneetracking on the pedals. Narrower-fitting shoes are onthe rise as the sport becomes more popular with thegender. Additionally, to accommodate the Q-Angle of awoman’s pelvis, women’s cycle shoes may be cantedwith a valgus wedge, which helps to align the foot theknee for better efficiency on the pedals.

Shoes are perhaps the most critical bike accessory interms of receiving an exact fit. Poorly fitting shoes arenot only uncomfortable and inefficient, but they canalso lead to injuries. Even if a cycle shoe is designed toperform well, technically it will only create problemsfor the rider if it is not fitted correctly. In addition toadjustable, quick-release Velcro closures, the search forstability in the uppers has also led to new designs inshoe closure systems including a number of newratchet buckle and click fastenings.

The multi-step micrometric system features a steelmechanism that is interchangeable and due to itsswing-out opening, it is easily cleaned of mud and soil.EVA shock-absorbing inserts are found in some of themore-advanced micrometric buckle supportmechanisms. In others, the fastening system features apolyester strap that passes over a strap-lock made oftechno-polymers and an anodized aluminum brake.

PREVIEW FOR PEDAL PUSHERSBy Mel Cheskin

Shoes are perhaps the most critical bike

accessory in terms of receiving an exact fit. Poorly

fitting shoes are not only uncomfortable and

inefficient, but they can also lead to injuries.


Competitive cycling shoes are traditionally narrow, similar toa track sprint shoe. By compressing the toes, more power canbe exerted at toe off or in the case of the cycling motion(called ankling or tracking), more power on the down strokeof the pedal. The unique pull-and-push action on the footleads to numerous complaints such as interdigital neuromapain and metatarsalgia.

In addition to wider lasts, E width, and constructionmodifications, modern bike-shoe uppers have improved toincorporated reinforcement and stronger materials to helpprevent physical injury and reduce the added stress on thedorsal area of the foot. Cycle-shoe uppers are almostexclusively made from ballistic synthetic materials such asLorica, a high-tech material created from a combination ofvery fine micro fibers. Each fiber, a thousand times finer thansilk, is saturated in special resins and processed to achieve anextremely strong but soft, lightweight and breathablemicroporous structure. Lorica is also noted for its high-tensile strength and abrasion resistance, making it aninvaluable product for shoe/equipment contact sports.

Other synthetics being used in technical bike-shoe uppers bycompanies such as Biemme, Italy, and Nike feature a hollow,microfibre substrate reinforced with para-aramid for strengthwith a very low weight ratio. Ballistic-nylon mesh is commonlyused in non-wear panels on cycle shoes for superiorbreathability. Diadora is also using Suprell, a highly waterproofand non-deformable material combined with ballistic meshareas. Surprisingly, natural leathers are still being used byseveral companies such as Diadora from Italy and Carnac fromFrance. However, split, nubuck and kangaroo leathers arecoated with PVC or PU to improve abrasion resistance on thepedals. Not to be overlooked as part of the upper package isthe universal use of retro-reflective materials to increasevisibility and safety for night riders.

Where there is a high degree of technicality involved in aspecific sport, such as in cycling, footwear is developed by boththe major, household, brand names such as Nike, Adidas andPuma and a plethora of specialized brands often emanatingfrom the sport itself. Shoe brands such as Carnac, BodyGeometry (BG), Louis Garneau, Cannondale and DMT are littleknown outside of the sport of cycling. Other shoes aredeveloped in conjunction with pedal and cycle makers such asLook, Shimano and Time. Specialized manufacturers of cycleshoes like Diadora, Sidi, Northwave and Peal Izumi haveexpanded to enjoy some popularity in other sports. Here’s aselection of some of the latest developments from these brands.

• Italian company Northwave specializes in shoes andclothing for cycling and snowboarding. The NorthwaveRevolution T is one of the company’s top road shoes, withthe distinct feature of having part of its sole constructedfrom titanium for added stiffness and reduced weight. TheRevolution T is a fairly complex piece of cycling footwear.

The upper is constructed of three layers of “Aeromesh” – asoft and highly breathable material. The toe is made out ofcompact mesh which has a polyurethane web reinforcer

heat sealed into it. The heel is contoured molded PU,which is stitched and glued to the sole and upper. The TLSSystem Titanium sole of the Revolution T is constructedout of a combination of titanium and DuPont Zytel nylonfor rigidity and lightweight. The sole has a built-in slidingthree/four hole cleat adaptor that is suited for Look andShimano SPD cleats.

• Body Geometry (BG) makes a vast range of specializedroad and MTB models. Considered amongst the best road-racing shoes in its category, BG offers Micro adjusting M-lock replaceable buckles with two attachment positions fora custom fit; stiff injection molded and fiberglass reinforcedsole; two-density footbed for ergonomic comfort;MicroMatrix synthetic leather offering a supple fit, yet isdurable, lightweight, and water resistant; three-bolt andtwo-bolt cleat patterns to fit Shimano SPD, SPDR, SPD-SL,Look, Time and Speedplay. Approximated weight 665g perpair (size 42).

• New 2006 top of the range Time shoes feature ultra-rigidcarbon-fiber molded soles for efficient pedaling withpressure relief comfort; closure and optimum foot holdingwith one carbon strap with adjustable buckle and twoVelcro straps in non-stretch fiber; comfortable lining andthermoformed removable insole. Synthetic uppers withlateral vents in the forefoot add maximized mesh surfacearea for optimum ventilation. A padded inner tongue helpsto relieve pressure on the dorsal area of the foot. Three holesoles fit Time RX pedal range, Look pedals, CampagnoloPro-fit pedals and Shimano SPD-SL. Speedplay and TimeImpact/Time Equipe should be used along with the adaptersupplied with their respective cleats.

• A refreshing departure from road shoes with knobs on,Nike’s Carnerso high-end MTB racing bike shoes are in thesame class as more specialized models such as SidiDragons, Shimano Sh-M221’s, Vittoria Ascents and CarnacSiroccos. Nike’s Carnerso model has a carbon midsoleunder a lugged-rubber outsole with threads for SPD cleats,a ratchet buckle closure plus two Velcro straps attaches theshoes to your feet and provides quick on-the-rolladjustability. The uppers are made from high-quality, tough-coated leather with mesh panels and plenty of protectionaround the toes to ward off roots and rocks. For soggy raceconditions there are a couple of extra threads under the toefor stud attachment to provide extra traction in the mud.

• Shimano, who has been instrumental in developingshoes for mountain biking over the years also make a fineseries of road shoes for the elite cyclist. The new SH-215is 20 percent lighter than previous designs with increasedrigidity coming from a super-light and stiff hollowmolded carbon fiber sole. The uppers of the SH-215model have a sure-fitting buckle and strap system forstability and offer increased power transfer. Broad nylon-ventilated mesh panels provide high-abrasion wear withmaximum breathability.


When Manchester United soccer heroWayne Rooney was sidelined with abroken metatarsal bone recently, itbrought to attention the reoccurring

question of protection in sports footwear. CouldRooney’s injury have been avoided and was there anysoccer-shoe feature that would prevent similar injuriesto other top players in the future?

Occasionally, an athlete may suffer foot and ankle painfrom an isolated traumatic injury, such as a fall orcollision. However, the vast majority of foot injuriescan be classified as overuse injuries. Overuse injuriescan be due to improper training (too much, too soon,too fast), poor flexibility, weakness or biomechanicalabnormalities. Whether the injury is caused by traumaor overuse, one of the largest risk factors involves whattype of protection is being afforded by your choice offootwear. The proper or improper shoe for a givensport can be the difference between spending your timeon the sidelines or in the competition.

Matching the correct shoe to your foot is both an art anda science. The vast diversity of athletic activities demandsdifferent features and characteristics from each categoryof sport shoes. In some sports, such as marathonrunning, maximum cushioning and shock absorption areimportant. In a sport involving a great amount of medialand lateral motion like tennis, stability is paramount.Track spikes are prized for their lightweight and superior

traction advantages, whereas in contact sports, protectionis critical. For example, in golf there are a number ofthings on a player’s mind when he or she approaches theball, the last thing the person needs to be thinking aboutis the comfort factor of footwear. In all sports categories,the best fit for your foot shape is most important.

Soccer is the most popular team sport worldwide withan estimated 50 million amateur participants. Unlikefoot and ankle injuries in tennis and running, whichare usually overuse injuries, soccer injuries often resultfrom trauma such as a direct blow to the lower leg.Because soccer is a contact sport, collision injuries fromstriking another player are common, accounting forapproximately 30 percent of all soccer injuries. Impactwith the goal post is potentially much more serious,but fortunately, much less frequent. The utilization ofpadded goal posts within the game has been documentedto reduce the possibility of injury, both in the laboratoryand field-testing phases.

The Progression from Boots to Slippers As soccer “boots” have evolved into their latest design,they have become lighter, softer, less protective andlower cut at the quarter. They have become slippersinstead of boots. Gone are the vegetable-tanned, high-cuts with stiffened toe boxes, forepart support strapand metal eyelets.

Whatever happened to Dubbin? The tactics andmovements in soccer have changed; therefore, thefootwear to meet these criteria has also changed.Players are faster, therefore shoes are lighter; ballcontrol is more important, therefore the feel for theball is essential; passing is more accurate, thereforeimparting spin and direction on the ball upon shoecontact is critical in today’s game. What has notchanged is the amount of contact and collisions thatoccur between players and the resulting injuries suchas sprains, soft tissue contusions (bruises), muscle andligament tears, turf toe (hyperextension of the big toe),subungual hematomas (bleeding under the nail) andworse – fractures (both of the stress and break variety).Other than a minimal amount of padding and designimprovements in stud positioning and length, virtuallynothing has been designed into soccer boots that

BAD BREAK: AVOID WORLD-CLASS FOOTWEAR INJURIESBy Mel Cheskin

The tactics and movements in soccer have

changed; therefore, the footwear to meet these

criteria has also changed. Players are faster,

therefore shoes are lighter; ball control is more

important, therefore the feel for the ball is

essential; passing is more accurate, therefore

imparting spin and direction on the ball upon

shoe contact is critical in today’s game.


effectively prevent injuries. In fact, over time, the use of soccershoes may cause other permanent osseous (bone) injuries suchas Exostosis (boney protrusions) and Haglund’s deformity(pump bump).

Padding Protects but Prohibits PerformanceSoccer is an anomaly in the world of sports. It is the only sportwhere the upper of the shoe is continuously required to be indirect contact with a foreign object – namely the ball.Although this statement is true in itself, it has been statisticallycalculated that a player is actually only in contact with the ballfor two minutes during a 90-minute game. The remaining 88minutes are spent running, walking and standing without theball. The importance of producing a lightweight shoe topreserve energy is immense. “For every 100 grams of weightthat is carried on the foot, your oxygen consumption patternschange,” says Howard Lieberskind, DPM, a long-timepodiatrist with the U.S. women’s national soccer team.

Now, lightweight can also be protective – as it is applied toa sport helmet used in American football or cricket. Thedifficulty to introduce hard-protective materials into a soccer-shoe upper is the loss of feel for the ball and the resultingtouch and control the ball would suffer. Another feel designfeature of a soccer shoe appears on the featherline, where thesole meets the upper. You will notice that on a soccer shoe,the sole template is fractionally smaller than the upper insolepattern. This allows the upper to slightly overlap the hardersole plate material – again, to create that sock-like construction.Likewise, any padding that could help protect the foot wouldalso interfere with performance.

Let’s Put a New Spin on Things Imparting spin has become an increasingly-important actionbetween the shoe upper and the ball in modern soccerbiomechanics. The perfect soccer shoe has been compared todriving gloves and thanks to new materials and innovations,soccer shoes have become increasingly glove like.

Kangaroo leather is still the preferred upper material used inquality soccer shoes. Brown-vintage Kangaroo, named after itsmethod of tannage, is prized for its strength-to-weight ratio. Itrequires no break-in period and is many times stronger thanthe same thickness of cowhide. Suitably treated kangarooleather, when skived to 20 percent of its original thickness,retains between 30 percent and 60 percent of its originaltensile strength. This is compared to a retention rate of 1percent to 4 percent for calf and bovine leathers.

In a further study by the CSIRO, Australia’s National ScientificResearch Organization, it was found that kangaroo leather wasat least 50 percent stronger than goatskin glove leather in tearstrength and puncture resistance. To improve kangaroo leather,

AD PageName: Tower Orthopedic

Location: Pickup: October-November 2006;

page 26

BAD BREAK continued on page 22


water- repellent, anti-abrasive micro-fiber PU is gainingacceptance by some players. The new synthetic-uppermaterial is extremely thin and dirt resistant. Combined witha thin layer of latex foam, micro-fiber PU offers a minimalamount of padding for the foot as opposed to littleprotection from a single layer of leather with fine, denier-nylon backer.

In the past, unconventional lacing patterns such as sidelacing, was rejected by leading players because aconventional U-throat lacing pattern helped to impart spinon the ball. With the introduction of Predator Precisiontechnology by Adidas in 1994, the emphases on uppermaterials, with improved surface contact, have played asignificant role in imparting spin and control on the ball.

The new generation upper now consists of a series ofprojections designed to increase the coefficient of frictionbetween shoe and ball. The theory is the faster the ball spins,the more swerves that occur. According to the manufacturer,Predator, technology allows a 20 percent improvement inball swerve. Improved surface contact across the top andinstep of the boot allows skilled players to impart more spinand better control on the accuracy of the ball. Anothertechnology currently being marketed by Nomis, a Davidcompany among the major soccer brand Goliaths’, uses anupper material based on two, new coefficient frictiontechnologies. Each is designed specifically for contrastingwet and dry playing conditions.

The wet-control technology is achieved through use of apolymer that is permanently impregnated into the fiberstructure of the leather during the tanning process. Thistreatment is specifically designed to interact with moisturethrough the action of chemisorption. In turn, it provides ahigh-gripping characteristic in wet or damp conditions. Thetextured polymer-coated surface provides a tread-like patternpreventing the possibility of micro-aquaplaning and affordingbetter control between the shoe and ball.

The dry-control technology comprises of a synthetic polymerthat is applied to the leather to achieve an ultra-highcoefficient of friction on dry-field conditions throughmultiple microscopic Van der Waals forces, similar to theprinciple of a gecko’s foot. Each treatment has beenresearched using simulated coefficient of friction testingunder laboratory conditions, allowing Nomis to claim up to16 times more grip and control with a dry ball and eighttimes grip improvement under wet conditions.

New Soling Materials Take off Pressure The ability to play on different surfaces was recognized early,which gave reason to offer resistance or ground traction to

the sole of the boot. The maximum length of studs wasgoverned by FIFA in 1951 and with the development of newpolymers, natural materials have been completely replacedby synthetics. Traditional conical studs have been cited as themain cause of turf-lock and rotational injuries to both anklesand knees. Today plugs, studs, cleats and appendages ofmany varieties are used on different playing surfaces, fromsoft-wet natural grass to hard-dry synthetic turf, in an on-going attempt to reduce the incidence of traction injuries inboth amateur and professional players.

Tread patterns have changed to incorporate curved cleatsdesigned in a circular configuration of compressible teeth toproduce an anti-torque effect between the sole and playingsurface. In the outsole component of the shoe there has beena concerted effort to make positive design changes in soccerboots that have actually helped to reduce the incidence ofinjuries at all levels of the game. The latest soccer shoes fromAdidas, the Tunit line, were created in response to theincreasing trend for customized footwear. The Tunit boot ismade up of three interchangeable component parts (upper,outsole and studs) that allow players to adjust their shoes tosuit the playing surface and weather conditions.

Biomechanics Can HelpNo shoe can ever guarantee full protection against injuries.This is due to a conflict that exists between the function ofthe shoe and the interests of the human body. In soccer, thisstatement is close to a truism.

However, as minimally ineffective as they may be,manufacturers do try to include some of the following injury-protection features into their boots.

• Specifically, padded Achilles tendon guard;

• Neoprene sleeves, for extra dorsal support and protection;

• Padded top-line quarters, for ankle protection;

• Shawl or kiltie flap tongue, to reduce lace pressure;

• Poron insole material, to reduce plantar surface cleat pressure;

• Rigid heel counters, for support and kick protection;

• Torsionally rigid outsole, for shank strength; and

• Improved stud placement, for better traction to helpprevent extra torque on knees and ankles.

Spenco Medical Corp. recently marketed Q-Angle insertsspecifically for women to better align the foot inside theshoe. As the percentage of injuries in woman’s soccer ismuch higher than mens; this could be a big help, at least forthe fast growing numbers of female players in the sport.

BAD BREAK continued from page 21


PFA’s 2006 Symposium and Exposition brokeattendance records again with 1,137 pedorthicprofessionals and allies from around the UnitedStates and 23 countries in attendance in Atlanta.

It is the second year in a row that PFA surpassed the 1,000mark, clearly setting a trend for increased attendance anddemonstrating another critical role that PFA plays as theonly national association solely dedicated to the pedorthicprofessional. And, in this instance, the quality provider ofpedorthic continuing education.

PFA is already at work on the 2007 Symposium and Exposition,scheduled for Nov. 8-11 in San Antonio, Texas. Exhibitorand sponsorship prospectuses were mailed in January;attendee registration brochures will be mailed in May.Sponsorship opportunities are already being reserved. If yourcompany is interested in supporting the 2007 Symposiumthrough corporate sponsorship, contact Brian Lagana at PFAas soon as possible at 202-367-1145.

PFA’S 2006 SYMPOSIUM & EXPOSITIONA HUGE SUCCESS!

Top and middle: Attendees enjoy networking opportunities duringexhibit hours.

PFA President Randy Stevens welcomes attendees during the openinggeneral session.

Political satirist Jimmy Tingle entertains attendees during the opening night’ssocial event.


Acor Orthopaedic, Inc.

Aetrex Worldwide, Inc.

AGS Footwear Group

Alden Shoe Company

Alimed, Inc.

Allied OSI Labs

American Board for Certificationin Orthotics & Prosthetics

American Shoe Corp.

Amfit, Inc.

Apis Footwear Co.

Arizona AFO, Inc.

Atlas International

Bintz Company

Biomechanical Services

Birkenstock

Birko Ortho

Bite Footwear

Board for Certification inPedorthics

Branier Custom Molded Inserts

Branier Custom Molded Shoes

Brooks Sports

Chase Paymentech

CROCS

DB Shoes, Ltd.

Dr. 2 Shoes, Inc.

Dr. Comfort

Dr. Zen

Drew Shoe Corp.

Engwer & Associates

Feels Good Footwear

Foot Dynamics, Inc.

Foot Solutions

Footmaxx, Inc.

Frankford Leather Co., Inc.

Guard Industries, Inc.

Haflinger/Theresia M

Hush Puppies

IAAPE

InStride Shoes, LLC

International Pedorthic Education

J.H. Cook & Sons, Inc.

Jerry Miller I.D. Shoes

JMS Plastics Supply

Joseph Deacon Co.

Justin Blair & Co.

Kanner Corp.

KLM Labs

Kumfs Shoes NZ Ltd.

Langer, Inc.

LaZer Fit

LL Custom

L’s Wear NY

M.J. Markell Shoe Co., Inc.

Miami Leather

MyXpress

National Foot Specialties

Natural Step

NEODS

NEOS

New Balance

Orthofeet, Inc.

PartnerShip

Ped. Lite

Pedifix, Inc.

Pedors Shoes

PEL Supply

Peppergate Footwear

Precision 3D Ltd.

Propet USA, Inc.

P.W. Minor

Quabaug Corp.

Renia GmbH

Riecken’s Orthotic Lab

Right Way Custom Molded Shoes, Inc.

Rocky Mountain Orthotics, Inc.

Ruby Leather & Orthopedic

SafeStep

SAS Shoemakers

Sequoia/Comfort Rite

Shoe Systems Plus, Inc.

Smooth Toe Sock Co.

SoleTech, Inc.

Sonicpromos.com

Southern Leather Co.

Spira Footwear, Inc.

Sroufe Healthcare Products, Inc.

STS Company

Sugarfree Socks

Sunrise Shoes

Superfeet Worldwide, Inc.

SureFoot Corp.

Tauer & Johnson

Tekscan

Therafirm, A Division of Knit-Rite, Inc.

Thorlo, Inc.

Tidwell’s Orthotics, LLC

Trulife

Tru-Mold Shoes

UCO International

Wolky N.A., Inc.

Wrymark

Xsensible Footwear

PFA thanks its 103 exhibiting companies who sold−out the 146-booth exhibit hall:

Attendees were able to explore a variety of booths on the exhibit floor.


PFA also gratefully acknowledges thefollowing companies for their generouscorporate sponsorship this year:

Name Badges and LanyardsBranier Orthopedic Custom Molded Shoes

Tote BagsRogers Corporation

Apple Pie and Ice CreamSAS Shoemakers

Thursday Morning Coffee BreakFoot Solutions

Friday’s LunchSponsored in part by New Balance Athletic Shoes

Friday Afternoon Exhibit Hall BreakAetrex Worldwide, Inc.

Saturday’s LunchSponsored in part by P.W. Minor, Inc.

Saturday Afternoon Exhibit Hall BreakPedors Shoes

Top and middle: Attendees were able to relax and unwind during thesocial event.

Left and right: The sold-out exhibit hall was a major draw for attendees. Morethan 100 companies provided 146 booths.


Class of 2007Jamie Dick, PT, C. Ped.Abingdon TherapyServicesAbingdon, Va.

Class of 2007Arthur Smuckler, C. Ped.General Orthopedic, Inc.Albany, N.Y.

Class of 2007Michael D. Veder, C.Ped., CO, BOCOGaitwell O&P, LLCEaton, OH

Vendor/ManufacturerMember LiaisonDavid SolomonESKO Orthopedic & ShoeStore SpecialtiesAustin, Texas

Legal CounselAllan J. WeinerKelley Drye Collier ShannonScott, LLPWashington, D.C.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

MEET PFA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORSExecutive Committee

PresidentRandy Stevens, C. Ped.Randy Stevens Family FootcareHarrisburg, Pa.

Vice PresidentDane LaFontsee, C. Ped.OrthletekWaterford, Wis.

Secretary/TreasurerKristi Hayes, C. Ped.Shane’s Foot Comfort CenterSeattle, Wash.

Immediate Past PresidentMike Forgrave, C. Ped., C. Ped. (C)Mike Forgrave & AssociatesKitchener, Ontario, Canada

Directors

Class of 2007David J. Levine, DPMFrederick Md.

Class of 2008Craig Young, MDMedical College of WisconsinMilwaukee, Wis.

Class of 2009Raymond L. FritzAllentown Family Foot Care, PCAllentown, Pa.

Medical Advisers

Class of 2008Faith Ballard, C. Ped., CORichey & Co.Raleigh, N.C.

Class of 2008Alan Barthold, C. Ped.Jay’s Wide ShoesBeaverton, Ore.

Class of 2008Harlon Compton, C. Ped., COCompton OrthopedicServiceOklahoma City, Okla.

Class of 2009Liz Chiles, C. Ped.H & H Shoe RepairRaleigh, N.C.

Class of 2009Stuart L. Pressman,C. Ped., COPressman’s Orthotics, Inc.d/b/a Sole-utionsFootwearPembroke Pines, Fla.

Class of 2009Paul A. Chromey, C.Ped., DPMNortheast Pedorthic ServicesWyoming ValleyPedorthic CenterPlains, Pa.


Council on Pedorthic EducationDane LaFontsee, chair: Liz ChilesPaul ChromeyChris CostantiniVasile FaklisErick JanisseMedical Advisor: Craig Young, MDAl Baggett, staffAndrea Tsupros, staff

Government Affairs CommitteeRandy Stevens, chairAlan BartholdJamie DickMark GrundmanKristi HayesDane LaFontseeStuart PressmanArt SmucklerMichael VederBrian Lagana, staffBill Applegate, staff

Coding CommitteeRandy Stevens, chairRick RavelBrett RicheyArt SmucklerMark GrundmanBrian Lagana, staff

HCPCS Shoe Code ReviewTask ForceRandy Stevens, chairJimmy FotoMark GrundmanErnesto CastoMichaelangelo ScafidiBrian Lagana, staff

Insurance and Third-PartyPayers CommitteeDane LaFontsee, chairHarlon ComptonBill Meanwell

International DevelopmentCommitteeMike Forgrave, chairPaul ChromeyAlan Darby

Marketing/CommunicationsCommitteeKristi Hayes, chairFaith BallardAlan BartholdLiz ChilesHarlon ComptonBrian Lagana, staff

Membership/Member ServicesCommitteeFaith Ballard, chairAlan BartholdHarlon ComptonStuart PressmanDavid SolomonBrian Lagana, staff

Nomination CommitteeJamie Dick, chairArt Smuckler, appointed

Three members elected fromMembership-at-Large:Scott AlexanderElizabeth “Libby” McGrawBill MeanwellBrian Lagana, staff

Vendor/Manufacturer CommitteeDavid Solomon, chairJeffrey Alaimo, AcorBuzz Cutler, Soletech Larry Schwartz, Aetrex WorldwideSteven LeBow, FootEFXBrian Lagana, staff

Medical AdvisersDavid Levine, DPM, C. Ped.Craig Young, MDRaymond A. Fritz, DPM, C. Ped.

PFA STANDING COMMITTIES 2006-2007

Alan Darby, C. Ped.Darby OrthoticsMechanicville, N.Y.

Elizabeth (Libby) McGraw,C. Ped.Centennial LakesPedorthic CenterEdina, Minn.

Donald R. Haynes, C. Ped.Restorative HealthServicesMurfreesboro, Tenn.

Roger Marzano, C. Ped., C.P.O.Yanke BionicsAkron, Ohio

Matthew Mirones, C.P.O., C.Ped.Arimed Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dennis Janisse, C.Ped. OSTNational PedorthicServices, Inc.Milwaukee, Wis.

Shane HayesShane’s Foot ComfortCenterSeattle, Wash.

Bob SchwartzEneslow Shoe Corp. New York, N.Y.

Herb StebWalk WellSummit, N.J.

Bill DouglasGalveston, Texas

Patrick HackettMilwaukee, Wis.

Saul Marmer, C.Ped.RetiredCincinnati, Ohio

John O. McMahanAtlanta, Ga.

Dean MorganFootwear ConsultantsDallas, Texas

Jean SearsCantilever Shoe StoreMetairie, La.

Fred ToengesFred Toenges Shoes &PedorthicsFt. Wayne, Ind.

Barry UllmanUCO InternationalScottsdale, Ariz.

Paul ThomasPaul Thomas ShoesElkhart, Ind.

Dick Lavinthal

Charles A. RobertsMilwaukee, Wis.

DeceasedMorton HackWilliams NaythonsSeymour Lefton, C.Ped.Herb SaagerClyde EdwardsCarl Riecken

PFA Past Presidents (In chronological order, beginning with most recent)


PFA BALANCE AND STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIESAND BUDGET COMPARISON

Pre-audited figures

9/30/06 9/30/05 9/30/04 9/30/03

ASSETS

-Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 482,320 $ 541,468 $ 300,555 $ 327,492

-Accounts Receivable 64,669 42,180 32,963 48,702

-Investments at Market Value 145,150 139,280 127,034 142,735

-Due from Affiliated Organizations 43,517 26,978 - -

-Prepaid Expenses 108,624 74,942 51,842 35,708

-Inventory 16,880 28,985 22,494 16,270

-Devel of Second Pedorthic Text 15,905 12,743 - -

-Fixed Assets (net of accum deprec) 4,035 2,213 3,276 -

-Investments in ASC - 69,550 39,776 11,203

TOTAL ASSETS $ 881,100 $ 938,339 $ 577,940 $ 582,110

LIABILITIES

-Accounts Payable $ 21,590 $ 45,358 $ 18,060 $ 25,621

-Olympic Team Pedorthics 1,765 2,625 7,000 -

-Deferred Revenues: Symposium and other Education 378,516 469,386 305,877 362,305

-Deferred Revenues: Membership Dues 163,592 176,651 173,752 148,192

-Deferred Revenues: Other 6,117 8,652 16,823 -

TOTAL LIABILITIES $ 571,580 $ 702,672 $ 521,512 $ 536,118

MEMBERS EQUITY AT YEAR END $ 309,520 $ 235,667 $ 56,428 $ 45,992

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY $ 881,100 $ 938,339 $ 577,940 $ 582,110

Pre-audited figures FY06 Actual FY06 Budget FY05 Actual

REVENUES

-Membership Dues/Affinity Programs* 475,126 483,682 489,991

EDUCATION

-Symposium 505,633 541,500 462,739

-Continuing Education, Resource Center, Grant Program 191,343 180,770 220,512

-Government Affairs 59,485 70,000 15,965

-Other: Gain on investments, interest** (21,364) 13,150 45,393

TOTAL REVENUES 1,210,223 1,289,102 1,234,600

EXPENSES

-Membership Development/Benefits 449,683 476,545 411,785

-Symposium 351,036 382,715 344,500

-Continuing Education, Resource Center, Grant Program 248,166 250,632 189,819

-Government Affairs 97,487 94,971 109,258

-Other - - -

TOTAL EXPENSES 1,146,372 1,204,863 1,055,362

NET INCOME 63,851 84,239 179,238

* Including Current Pedorthics** Includes loss on sale of stock in ASC of $33,150


ACOR Offers New Sadmerc-ReviewedCustom OrthoticAcor Orthopaedic introduced nine new SADMERC-reviewedcustom orthotics. Acorthotic Custom Inserts are an extensiveline of pre-fabricated and custom-molded SADMERC-reviewed developed in response to Acor knowing not alldiabetics are the same. The line allows a person to fit adiabetic patient with the proper material combination thatbest fits his or her disease and lifestyle.

Included in the line are:

CORT-96: P-Cell + Microcel Puff Use: For the moderate walker.

CORT-XI6: X-Static lined Impression Puff + Microcel Puff Use: For the active walker.

CORT-9P6: P-Cell + Urethane + Microcel PuffUse: Adults of any weight.

CORT-XIP6: X-Static lined Impression Puff + Urethane +Microcel PuffUse: Antibacterial protection for individuals of any weight.

CORT-98: P-Cell + MulticorkUse: Adults of any weight.

CORT-9P8: P-Cell + Urethane + MulticorkUse: Athletic adults of any weight.

CORT-XI8: X-Static lined Impression Puff + MulticorkUse: Antibacterial protection for individuals of any weight.

CORT-6P8: Microcel Puff + Urethane + MulticorkUse: For athletic individuals of any weight.

CORT-6P6: Microcel Puff + Urethane + Microcel PuffUse: For extreme/athletic individuals of any weight.

For more information or to request a catalog, please contactAcor Orthopaedic at [email protected] or 800-237-2267.

American Shoe Launches New Web SiteAmerican Shoe launched its new comprehensive, easy-to-navigate Web site. Practitioners can now log on towww.americancustomshoes.com to find out more companyinformation; learn about changing reimbursement issues;check the upcoming events calendar; or browse the completeproduct line of foot orthoses, AFOs, custom footwear and thenew TORCH walker.

The Web site also offers modification selections, colorchoices and material options for all products. The glossaryanswers complex fitting and technical questions. An onlineordering form is available for quick download.

American Shoe Corp. has been manufacturing customfootwear for 50-plus years and provides solutions for difficultfoot conditions. “Development of the Web site only furthersour commitment to giving practitioners the information theyneed, when they need it,” said Chris Gizzi, vice president.“www.americancustomshoes.com will be the primary sourceof information for all your custom complex lower extremityconcerns.”

For additional information, please contact Chris Gizzi at866-620-7463.

JSB Offers Complete Line of Richie BracesJSB offers the complete line of Richie Braces. Designed by aphysician in 1996, the Richie Brace is the first AFO toincorporate custom-functional foot orthoses. The RichieBrace is fabricated from an impression cast taken of apatient’s foot and lower leg. With a contour-balanced orthoticfootplate articulated to adjustable semi-rigid lower leguprights, the Richie Brace stabilizes rotational forces at themidtarsal, subtalar and talocrural joints. The product hasrevolutionized the non-operative approach to treating sportinjuries as well as debilitating degenerative pathologies of thefoot and ankle.

JSB has been manufacturing custom orthoses for over 20years and stocks more than 50 different foot orthotic

VENDOR NEWS

VENDOR NEWS continued on page 34

AD PageName: MMAR Medical Group

Location: Pickup: October-November 2006; IBC


VENDOR continued from page 32

materials that can be combined to treat any modality. “As aboard certified pedorthist with extensive training, I have abroad understanding of foot and ankle pathologies and candesign the appropriate orthotic treatment,” said Owner ScottBecker. “We are a nationally accredited facility that offersexpert assistance and consultations to make ordering easier.”

Aetrex Launched New Sock Line atPFA SymposiumAt the PFA Symposium, Nov. 9-12, 2006, in Atlanta, Ga.,Aetrex Worldwide, Inc. introduced its new innovativeCopper Sole Sock.

“As one of the leading foot-health companies in the industry,we believe it’s imperative to stay on top of industry trends,”said CEO Larry Schwartz. “We aim to remain one step aheadwith our new technologies and footwear products.”

In a 2004-2005 study, Dr. Richard C. Zatcoff, DPM, trackedthe foot health of 51 patients, including 21 with diabetes. Hisstudy illustrated that patients wearing Copper Sole Socks hadsignificant improvement in the appearance and texture of theirskin, particularly around their toes and the soles of their feet.

Copper socks rejuvenate the skin to improve appearance andcan offer 99.9 percent prevention of bacteria and fungi to

control odor. In addition, the socks wick away moisture tokeep feet healthy, cool and dry.

The line includes athletic, non-binding, dress, casual andcompression support styles. For more information, pleasevisit www.aetrex.com/copper or contact Lateefah Viley-Simpson at 800-526-2739.

AD PageName: NEODS

Location: Pickup: Oct-Nov 2006


MonthlyRiecken’s Orthotic Labs, 5115 Oak Grove Rd., Evansville,IN - SAFIO Class, Second Friday of every month. Fourcasting stands provided, limited to eight students. ContactDarlene at (800) 331-8040 for more information.

February 12-25International School of Pedorthics - Miami, Fla. Three Levels of Pedorthic Training. Contact Kathy Meanwellat 702-449-0974 or [email protected]

March 5-18International School of Pedorthics - Tulsa, OK. Three Levels of Pedorthic Training. Contact Kathy Meanwellat 702-449-0974 or [email protected]

April9-22International School of Pedorthics - Los Angeles, Calif. Three Levels of Pedorthic Training. Contact Kathy Meanwellat 702-449-0974 or [email protected]

9-28Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine atRosalind Franklin University - Chicago, Ill. Pedorthic Pre-certification Program. Call 847-578-8410 orvisit www.rosalindfranklin.edu/scpm/ce/PreCertCourses.cfm

June4-16International School of Pedorthics - Sacramento, Calif. Three Levels of Pedorthic Training. Contact Kathy Meanwell at 702-449-0974 [email protected]

PEDORTHIC INDUSTRY EVENTS

Mark Your Calendar! To assist members with planning, followingare the dates and locations of PFA’s upcomingannual symposia:

2007General Pedorthics: Exploring Common FootProblemsThursday, Nov. 8 - Sunday, Nov. 11Marriott Riverwalk HotelSan Antonio, Texas

2008Nov. 6-9, 2008Gaylord Opryland HotelNashville, Tenn.

2009Thursday, November 19 – Sunday, November 22, 2009Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference CenterGrapevine (Dallas), Texas

CP’s “Pedorthic Education Calendar of Events” is published bimonthlyas a courtesy to the pedorthic industry. Events are listed free-of-charge on a space-available basis. Organizations are to provide thedate, location, city where course will be held, name of educationalprovider and telephone number/contact name for additionalinformation. Fax new information or updates to 312.245.1094.

AD PageName: Natural StepLocation:

Pickup: October-November 2006; page 47


Only a few months remain until the NationalProvider Identifier (NPI) compliance date. Morethan 1.3 million NPIs have been issued. Gettingyour NPI is only the first step in preparing for the

compliance date. You should allow time to share your NPIwith payers and other trading partners, update your referrallists, as well as modify and test computer systems.

Resources for Commonly Asked Questions CMS has compiled a list of resources that will help to answermany questions on NPI. Visit www.cms.hhs.gov/National-ProvIdentStand/07_Questions.asp#TopOfPage. Additionally,CMS continues to build its database of frequently askedquestions on NPI. Recently, an FAQ on Electronic FileTransfer (EFT) of payments from health plans to health careproviders was added. You can view all existing NPI FAQs athttp://questions.cms.hhs.gov.

Special Information for Medicare ProvidersBilling Medicare Medicare is testing the new software that has been developedto use the National Provider Identifier (NPI) in the existingMedicare fee-for-service claims processing systems. Providershave until May 23, 2007, before they are required to submitclaims with only an NPI.

Until testing is complete within the Medicare processingsystems, Medicare urges providers to continue submittingMedicare fee-for-service claims in one of two ways:

• Use your legacy number, such as your Provider IdentificationNumber (PIN), NSC number, OSCAR number or UPIN; or

• Use both your NPI and your legacy number.

Until testing of the new software that uses the NPI in theMedicare systems is complete and until further notice fromMedicare, the following may occur if you submit Medicareclaims with only an NPI:

• Claims may be processed and paid, or

• Claims that Medicare systems are unable to properlymatch the incoming NPI with a legacy number (e.g., PIN,OSCAR number) may be rejected to the provider, and thenyou will need to resubmit the claim with the appropriatelegacy number.

Required Use of NPI on Medicare Paper Claim Forms Medicare will require the NPI on its paper claim forms. Avariety of MLN Matters articles are available on this topic atwww.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/Downloads/MMArticles_npi.pdf on the CMS NPI Web page.

How to Share Your NPI with Medicare Medicare providers may share their NPIs with Medicare inthree different ways:

• For new Medicare providers, an NPI must be included onCMS-855 enrollment application.

• Existing Medicare providers must provide their NPIs whenmaking any changes to their Medicare enrollmentinformation.

• Medicare providers should use their NPI, along withappropriate legacy identifiers, on their Medicare claims.

For more information and education on the NPI, visitwww.cms.hhs.gov/National-ProvIdentStand. Providers canapply for an NPI online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov or cancall the NPI enumerator to request a paper application at800-465-3203.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

PREPARE FOR THE NPI COMPLIANCE DEADLINE


While most healthcare providers, suppliers andpractitioners are honest, a small minoritycommit healthcare fraud and abuse. Theactions cost the Medicare program a lot of

money every year. The Centers for Medicare & MedicaidServices (CMS) works with other government agencies andlaw enforcement organizations to protect the Medicare pro-gram from fraud and abuse.

This Resource Reference directs you to a number of sourcesof information pertaining to Medicare fraud and abuse andhelps you understand what to do if you suspect or becomeaware of incidents of potential Medicare fraud or abuse.

Internet Resources about Medicare Fraud and AbuseOIG Web siteThe Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Officeof Inspector General’s (OIG) Web site (www.oig.hhs.gov)offers a wealth of information regarding fraud and abuseprevention, detection and reporting. For example, the OIG’sWeb site includes links to:

• Fraud alerts, bulletins and other guidance that alert thepublic and providers about fraudulent and abusive schemes;

• Model compliance programs for a wide array of healthcareproviders and suppliers;

• “Open Letters” to the health care provider communitydiscussing major initiatives;

• Voluntary self-disclosure protocols to disclose instances ofimproper billing;

• Safe harbor provisions under the anti-kickback statute;

• Advisory opinions on the application of the anti-kickbackstatute and other OIG fraud and abuse authorities;

• Exclusion information;

• Links to the National Practitioner Data Bank and theHealthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank, which arelimited-access databases that contain information on vari-ous licensure, malpractice and legal actions taken againstphysicians and dentists and, in some cases, other healthcare providers; and

• A free e-mail “listserv” that informs subscribers of newadditions to the OIG’s Web site. Visithttp://oig.hhs.gov/mailinglist.html for more information.

CMS Web siteCMS’ Web site (www.cms.hhs.gov) offers a vast amount ofinformation pertaining to Medicare program rules andrequirements, including:

• The Medicare Learning Network (MLN), which includesinformative articles and training modules. Visitwww.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo for more information;

• Part D prescription drug benefit compliance guidance;

• Information on the physician self-referral prohibition;

• Medicare coverage information and policies;

• Information and guidance on billing and coding issues;

• Provider enrollment and certification information;

• Information regarding CMS forms;

• Information about coordination of benefits and Medicareas secondary payer;

• Subscription to electronic mailing list service for thoseinterested in receiving news from CMS. Visitwww.cms.hhs.gov/apps/mailinglists/ to subscribe.

Kickbacks and Self-ReferralsThe Anti-Kickback Statute and the physician self-referral laware two important fraud and abuse authorities. Violations ofthese laws can result in nonpayment of claims, civilmonetary penalties, exclusion from the Medicare program,and liability for the submission of false claims to thegovernment. Violation of the anti-kickback statute mayadditionally result in imprisonment and criminal fines.

The Anti-Kickback Statute, set forth at § 1128B of the SocialSecurity Act, (42 U.S.C.§ 1320a-7b), makes it a criminaloffense knowingly and willfully to offer, pay, solicit,or receiveany remuneration to induce or reward referrals of items orservices reimbursable by a Federal health care program. Whereremuneration is paid purposefully to induce or reward referralsof items or services payable by a Federal healthcare program, theAnti-Kickback Statute is violated. By its terms, the statute ascribescriminal liability to parties on both sides of an impermissible“kickback” transaction. For purposes of the Anti-KickbackStatute, “remuneration” includes the transfer of anything of value,directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind.Visit http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud.html for more information.

The Physician Self-Referral Prohibition Statute, commonlyreferred to as the “Stark Law,” is set forth at § 1877 of theSocial Security Act, (42U.S.C. § 1395nn). This statuteprohibits physicians from referring Medicare patients forcertain Designated Health Services (DHS) to an entity withwhich the physician or a member of the physician’simmediate family has a financial relationship—unless anexception applies. It also prohibits an entity from presentingor causing to be presented a bill or claim to anyone for a DHSfurnished as a result of a prohibited referral. Visitwww.cms.hhs.gov/PhysicianSelfReferral for more information.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MEDICARE FRAUD AND ABUSE PREVENTION ONLINE

GOVERNMENT continued on page 40

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)recently announced the award of the contract to theDurable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics,

and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive BiddingImplementation Contractor (CBIC) to Palmetto GBA, LLC.

Awarding this contract is a key step in the timelyimplementation of the Medicare DMEPOS CompetitiveBidding Program. Palmetto GBA will conduct certain functionsrelated to the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Biddingprogram, such as preparing the request for bids (RFB),performing bid evaluations, selecting qualified suppliers andsetting payments for all competitive bidding areas.

In addition, Palmetto GBA will be responsible foroverseeing an education program for beneficiaries,suppliers and referral agents. Palmetto GBA will also assistCMS and its contractors in monitoring programeffectiveness, access and quality.

The proposed rule on the Medicare DMEPOS CompetitiveBidding Program was published in the May 1, 2006,

Federal Register. The final rule is expected to be issuedlater this year. Also, the statute requires competition underthe program to be phased in beginning in 2007.

Important: Supplier standard No. 2 requires ALLsuppliers to notify the NSC of any change to theinformation provided on the CMS 855S application formwithin 30 days. This is especially important for supplierswho will be involved in the competitive bidding program.These suppliers must ensure the information listed ontheir supplier files is accurate to ensure enableparticipation in this program.

Further information and instruction on how to submit achange of information is available atwww.palmettogba.com/nsc by following this path: SupplierEnrollment/Change of Information/Change of InformationGuide. Suppliers with questions regarding changes ofinformation should contact the NSC Customer ServiceLine at 866-238-9652.


Advisory OpinionsIn certain situations, upon formal request, the HHS Office ofInspector General may issue an advisory opinion with respectto the Anti-Kickback Statute or OIG’s other fraud and abuseauthorities, while CMS may issue an advisory opinion with respectto the physician self-referral prohibition. Advisory opinions arelegal opinions issued to one or more requesting parties about theapplication to a party’s existing or proposed business arrangementsof either the fraud and abuse provisions within the OIG’s scopeof authority or the physician self-referral prohibition within CMS’scope of authority. A CMS or OIG advisory opinion is legallybinding on HHS and the requesting party or parties, but no personor entity can rely on an advisory opinion issued to another party. Aparty that receives a favorable advisory opinion is protectedfrom CMS or OIG administrative sanctions, as the case maybe, so long as the arrangement at issue is conducted inaccordance with the facts submitted to the CMS or OIG.

Exclusions and DebarmentsWhat is the effect of an exclusion?

If you are participating in or billing a Federal healthcareprogram, you generally may not employ or contract with anexcluded or debarred individual or entity. No payment willbe made by any Federal healthcare program for any items orservices furnished, ordered or prescribed directly or indirectly

by an excluded or debarred individual or entity. Federalhealthcare programs include Medicare, Medicaid and allother plans and programs that provide health benefits fundeddirectly or indirectly by the United States (other than theFederal Employees Health Benefits Plan).

OIG Web siteThe HHS Office of Inspector General is responsible forexcluding individuals who have participated or engaged incertain impermissible, inappropriate or illegal conduct. TheOIG’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE)provides information on all individuals and entities currentlyexcluded from participation in the Medicare, Medicaid andall other Federal health care programs. The LEIE, along withother information pertaining to OIG exclusions, may beaccessed at http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/exclusions.html.

General Services Administration Web siteThe General Services Administration (GSA) is responsiblefor maintaining an index of individuals and entities thathave been excluded throughout the U.S. Government fromreceiving Federal contracts or certain subcontracts andfrom certain types of Federal financial and non-financialassistance and benefits. The GSA maintains the ExcludedParties List System (EPLS), which may be accessed athttp://epls.arnet.govt.

COMPETITIVE BIDDING IMPLEMENTATION CONTRACT CLINCHES BID FORDURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, PROSTHETICS, ORTHOTICS AND SUPPLIES

GOVERNMENT continued from page 39



The following organizations will accredit suppliers ofDurable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthoticsand Supplies (DMEPOS). DMEPOS suppliers willmeet new quality standards in order to be able to

bill the Medicare Part B program for items, such as therapeuticshoes and inserts, walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, etc.,furnished to Medicare beneficiaries under a final ruleannounced in August by the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services.

JCAHO Contact: MaryAnne Popovich 601 13th Street, NW Suite 1150N Washington, D.C. 20005 www.jointcommission.org

Approved for Categories: All products and servicesdescribed in Section 1834(a) (13) of the Act, Prostheticdevices, orthotics and prosthetics described in Section1834(h) of the act; and items described in Section 1842(s)(2) of the act.

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Contact: Carmen A. Catizone 6701 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20817 www.nabp.net

Approved for Categories: DME diabetic products andsupplies, enteral and parenteral nutrients and supplies, offthe shelf products and supplies – respiratory, urological,mobility aids, wound care, and medical non-customorthotics and prosthetics.

Board of Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification Contact: Jim Newberry/Trisha Tatam 7150 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite G Columbia, MD 21045 www.bocusa.org

Approved for Categories: All orthotics, prosthetics,pedorthics; DME, All Respiratory and POV.

The Compliance Team Inc. Contact: Sandra Canally R.N., president P.O. Box 160 905 Sheble Lane, Suite 102 Spring House, PA 19477www.exemplaryprovider.com

Approved for Categories: All mail order and home deliverydurable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, andsupplies; Home dialysis supplies; therapeutic shoes and inserts.

Director, Facility Accreditation, IS & Discipline Contact: D. Scott Willamson, Jr., CAE American Board for Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics Inc. 330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 210 Alexandra, VA 22314 www.abcop.org

Approved for Categories: Comprehensive orthotics,comprehensive prosthetics, prefabricated custom fittedorthotics, post mastectomy prosthetics, non-customtherapeutic shoes, comprehensive therapeutic shoes, ocularprosthetics, facial prosthetics, somatic prosthetics, Ancillaryassistive ambulatory devices (canes, walkers and crutches)for those suppliers who qualify for O&P accreditation.

The National Board of Accreditation for Orthotic Suppliers Contact: Chris Blake 1337 Howe Ave., Suite 230 Sacramento, CA 95825 www.nbaos.org

Approved for Categories:

• Orthotics – custom fabricated

• Orthotics – non-customized

• Orthotics – custom

• Custom and non-customized prosthetics

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities Contact: Chris MacDonell 4891 E. Grant Road Tucson, AZ 85712 www.carf.org

Approved for Categories: Wheelchairs, prosthetic devices(including those devices (other than dental) that replace all orpart of an internal body organ; orthotics and prosthetics,including leg, arm, back, and neck braces, artificial legs, armsand eyes, and extra depth shoes with inserts or custom moldedsoles with inserts; therapeutic shoes; DMEPOS covered byappendix B (ie. Manual wheelchairs and power mobilitydevices, including complex rehab and assistive technology) andappendix C (ie. custom-fabricated custom-fitted, custom-madeorthotics, prosthetic devices somatic, ocular and facialprosthetics, and therapeutic shoes and inserts).

CMS DEEMED ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATION FOR SUPPLIERSOF DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, PROSTHETICS, ORTHOTICSAND SUPPLIES



Community Health Accreditation Program Contact: Terry A. Duncombe, President & CEO 1300 19th Street, NW Suite 150 Washington, DC 20036 www.chapinc.org

Approved for Categories: Diabetic supplies, cane, crutches,walkers, commode chairs, hospital beds, traction equipment.

Appendix A: Respiratory equipment; supplies and services;oxygen concentrators; reservoirs; high-pressure cylinders;oxygen accessories and supplies; oxygen-conserving devices;home invasive mechanical ventilators; continuous PositiveAirway Devices (RAD); intermittent positive pressurebreathing devices; and, nebulizers.

Appendix B: Manual wheelchairs and power mobilitydevices, including complex rehab and assistive technology,PMDs: power wheelchairs, power operated vehicles andaccessories, manual wheelchairs, standard recliners, heavy-duty wheelchairs, standard lightweight wheelchairs, hemiwheelchairs, armrests, leg rests/footplates.

Appendix C: Custom fabricated custom fitted, custom madeorthotics, prosthetic devices, somatic, ocular and facialprosthetics, and therapeutic shoes and inserts.

The Board for Certification in Pedorthics Contact: Michelle Kimbrough 2025 Woodlane Drive St. Paul, MN 55125-2998 [email protected]

Approved for Categories: Pedorthic hub facility and satellitefacility for men and women depth shoes; medical-gradeshoes; custom shoes; shoe modifications; custom-orthoticshoes; and, custom-orthotic devices.

HealthCare Quality Association on Accreditation Contact: Mary K. Nicholas, executive director PO Box 1946 217 West 4th Street Waterloo, IA 50702 www.hqaa.org

Approved for Categories: All DME and Custom Orthotics.

Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. Contact: Sherry Hedrick, RN, BSN, MPH , director ofClinical Compliance and Accreditation 4700 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 280 Raleigh, NC 27609 www.achc.org

Approved for Categories: All DME, respiratory, orthotics,rehabilitation technology supplier and medical supplyprovider.

Suppliers are encouraged to call the deemed organizationsdirectly based on the information provided here. PFA doesnot endorse any specific credentialing organization, andsuggests that you contact several to discuss your practice’sspecific needs before making a final decision.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) metwith the 11 CMS-approved accrediting providers andindicated it expects providers who plan to participate in thefirst round of national competitive bidding to becomeaccredited by April 2007. Accreditation organizationsestimate that it will take between four and six months tocomplete the process.

CMS plans to begin competitive bidding in the 10 largestMetropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in 2007. Dependingupon the first MSAs selected and the products that are tobe competitively bid, CMS estimates that up to 18,000providers may need to become accredited by early spring.

Currently, CMS has yet to release its final rule making oncompetitive bidding, its specific list of products andcategories that will be included in competitive bidding,and the initial ten MSAs that will competitively bidDurable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and

Supplies (DMEPOS) beginning this year, although it is asafe assumption that Miami will be among the first 10.

CMS released a list of 18 other cities, nine of which willjoin Miami in the first round of competitive bidding:Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas, Texas; Riverside, Calif.; Pittsburg,Pa.; Kansas City, Mo.; Kansas City, Kan.; Cincinnati, Ohio;San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cleveland, Ohio; San Francisco,Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; Houston, Texas; Detroit, Mich.; Seattle,Wash.; Baltimore, Md.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Phoenix, Ariz.;Boston, Mass.; and, Tampa, Fla.

CMS plans to initiate the second round of competitivebidding in 2008 with an additional 80 cities. Eventually,all Medicare providers will need to become accredited,with those not participating in competitive biddingneeding to obtain their credential by 2009.

CMS EXPECTS CERTAIN DMEPOS SUPPLIERS TO BE ACCREDITED BY SPRING



In an attempt to limit health care costs and improve thequality of healthcare delivery, Congress and the Centersfor Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) have been discussingimplementation of a quality/performance measurement

system that is tied to payment. This new payment system hasbecome know as Pay-for Performance (P4P). Since 2000,several private payers and the Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) implemented some form of a P4P system with varyingdegrees of success. These systems are just now being evaluatedfor their effectiveness and, to date, there is only a limitedamount of published data available on to draw conclusionsabout their impact.

As part of the Medicare Prescription Drug Act of 2003 Congressdirected the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to examine how tomake P4P in the Medicare system feasible. Since 2003, the IOMissued several reports and recommendations on P4P. Based, inpart, on these recommendations Congress introduced legislationin 2005 to implement a P4P Medicare payment system. Thislegislation is still pending before Congress. Despite not having acongressional mandate, CMS has moved forward with voluntaryreporting measures. CMS launched the Physician VoluntaryReporting Program (PVRP) on Jan. 1, 2006. This limitedvoluntary program consists of 16 evidence-based, clinically validmeasures that were part of numerous guidelines endorsed byphysicians and their medical specialty societies.

GoalsCritics of the current Medicare fee-for-service paymentsystem argue that it does not properly reward efficiency orfocus enough on prevention or the treatment of chronic

diseases. This criticism focuses on the fact that the currentsystem tends to reward the excessive use of services andhigh-cost, complex procedures resulting in lower qualitycare. Conversely, services that contribute greatly to high-quality care that are labor or time intensive and rely on lesstechnical resources, such as patient education in self-management of chronic conditions and care coordination,tend to be undervalued.[1] Pay-for-Performance seeks to solvethese issues by paying providers for higher-quality care asmeasured by selected standards and procedures to promotebetter outcomes through coordination of care acrossproviders. Those providers who meet the standards willreceive higher compensation than those who do not.

ChallengesThose who have concerns about moving toward a pay-for-performance system argue that it has the potential todecrease access to care, increase disparities in care orimpede innovation. For example, if payment incentives failto address complex or unique clinical situations - such aspatients with multiple chronic diseases or those patients whofail to follow clinical direction—providers may refuse toaccept patients with those conditions for fear of not beingable to meet performance standards.

In addition, if the performance measures created by CMS arenot in sync with independent standards created by specialtygroups, providers will be torn between meeting standardscreated by their peers and meeting standards in order to bepaid adequately for their services.

CMS CONSIDERS PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

The State of New Jersey requires orthotists andprosthetists to be licensed in order to practice.The state offers an optional license to pedorthistsalready certified by the Board for Certification in

Pedorthics (BCP) or its successor.

The scope of practice of a certified pedorthist granted alicense pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:44H-3.2 is limited to thedesign, manufacture, fit and modification of shoes andrelated foot appliances that extends from the ankle andbelow and which are prescribed by a physician licensed topractice medicine or surgery or a licensed doctor ofpodiatric medicine for the amelioration of painful ordisabling conditions of the foot. “Foot appliances” for the

purposes of this regulation include prosthetic fillers andorthotic appliances for use from the ankle and below.

A certified pedorthist who seeks licensure in New Jerseymust submit to the New Jersey Orthotics and ProstheticsBoard of Examiners (a division of the Department ofConsumer Affairs) the following:

1.A completed and notarized application form;

2.The application fee set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:44H-10.1; and

3.Proof of certification by the BCP or its successor sent tothe board by BCP.

For more information on obtaining licensure as apedorthist in New Jersey, visit www.nj.gov/lps/ca/boards.htm.

BCP CERTIFIED PEDORTHISTS IN NEW JERSEY CAN APPLY FOR LICENSURE



Finally, the success of P4P relies heavily on clinical data collection.To date, the health-information technology system needed tosupport this massive data collection effort is not available toproviders. Critics worry that providers will be expected tomake a substantial financial investment in informationtechnology in order to meet the standards of the system.

Physician Voluntary Reporting Program The first step toward a Medicare pay-for-performance systemcame when CMS launched the Physician Voluntary ReportingProgram (PVRP) in January 2006. Under the voluntaryreporting program, physicians who choose to participate willcapture data about the quality of care provided to Medicarebeneficiaries in order to identify the most effective ways touse quality measures.

Those physicians who choose to participate in the PVRPwould begin reporting quality data and would be able toreceive feedback on their performance, as well as provideinput on how quality reporting can be improved and madeless burdensome. The initial 16 quality measures are arrangedin sets of measures, with multiple G-codes and CPT CategoryII codes in each set. The physician will report the appropriateG-code or CPT Category II code that represents the clinicalservices provided with regard to a specific measure set. Eachmeasure set has a defined numerator (the appropriate G-codeor CPT Category II code) and a denominator (specificallydefined according to the appropriate services or condition),which will be used to calculate performance.[2]

LegislationThe two major pieces of legislation regarding P4P are theMedicare Value Purchasing Act of 2005 (S. 1356) and theMedicare Value-Based Purchasing for Physicians’ Services Actof 2005 (H.R. 3617). The Senate version is sponsored bySenate Finance Committee Chairman, Senator ChuckGrassley (R-IA), while the House version is sponsored byHouse Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairwoman,Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT). Both pieces of legislation arestill pending before Congress.

S. 1356• The Medicare Value Purchasing (MVP) Act of 2005

requires development and implementation of a Medicarevalue-based purchasing program for hospitals, physiciansand practitioners, Medicare Advantage plans, end-stagerenal disease (ESRD) providers, and home health agencies.

• Requires development, implementation and updating of aQuality Measurement System that will guide reporting andvalue-based purchasing programs. The measures should bedeveloped by nationally recognized quality measurementorganizations and should be evidence based, reliable, validand feasible to collect.

• In 2007, physicians reporting quality data will receive thefull payment update, while physicians not reporting wouldreceive the update minus 2 percent. The bill does notrequire physicians to meet quality standards in 2007 inorder to receive the 2 percent update, only to report.

• In 2008, physicians would be required to meet performancestandards. One percent of the Medicare payment to aphysician would be withheld throughout the year to create a“performance pool.” Every year thereafter, the amountwithheld would be increased by a quarter percent until itreaches 2 percent in 2012. The funds will be redistributedannually to physicians based on attaining a certain thresholdof quality performance or improvement measures.

• Does not repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) whencalculating physician payment updates.

H.R. 3617• The Medicare Value-Based Purchasing for Physicians’

Services Act of 2005 repeals the SGR when calculatingphysician payment updates and replaces it with theMedicare Economic Index (MEI) formula.

• Implements a Medicare quality measurement system forvalue-based purchasing of physician services. Requires thata consensus building organization, such as NationalQuality Forum, submit proposed quality and efficiencymeasures to CMS and that CMS then select measures fromthis submission pool to be implemented as quality andefficiency measures for P4P.

• In 2007 and 2008, overall physician payment would bebased on the percentage increase in MEI, minus 1 percent.Physicians reporting quality and efficiency measures wouldthen receive and additional 1 percent increase.

• Starting in 2009, payment will be based on whetherphysicians have met the selected quality measures. Againoverall, physician payment would be based on thepercentage increase in MEI, minus 1 percent. Ifperformance objectives are met, physicians will receive a1 percent increase in payment.

1. Committee on Redesigning Health Insurance Performance Measures, Payment and Performance Improvement Programs. (2006) RewardingProvider Performance: Aligning Incentives in Medicare. The Institute of Medicine.

2. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2006) Physician Voluntary Reporting Program Overview. www.cms.hhs.gov/PVRP



Pedorthist –Western MassachusettsMultiple location, privately owned, O&P company has animmediate opening for a Pedorthist. This position hasunlimited growth potential. Candidates must be able to workclosely with Physicians and possess strong professional skills.Our company offers a competitive compensation packageand continuing education opportunities.

Fax or e-mail resume in confidence to:

Jim HaasOrthotics & Prosthetics Laboratories, Inc.300 Birnie AveSpringfield, MA 01107(413) 737-2404fax(413) [email protected]

Buyer or Pedorthist WantedWanted: Buyer or qualified pedorthist or husband wife teamto manage and operate 3 person successful Pedorthic facilitylocated in Connecticut. Current owner wishes to work less.This is a great opportunity for the right person or couple.This facility has Amfit digi and mill, shoes, web business andmore. To discuss further call 860-455-6973

CPed WantedWe are looking for a certified Pedorthist for a busy high endski shop specializing in ski boot sales and modification.Construction of prescription orthotics and custom footbedsfor ski boots will also be needed. We are located at StrattonMountain Resort in Southern Vermont. Great pay pluscommissions, free skiing, great deals on equipment and achance to learn from a shop that is leading the ski industry.We will train the right person but knowledge ofbiomechanics and anatomy is necessary. If interested pleasecontact Green Mountain Orthotic lab at (802) 297-4405 [email protected]. Check out www.gmolfoot.com.

CPed/Orthotic Fitter/Assistant WantedCharleston Brace Company LLC, an ABC Accredited O & Pwith two offices and a satellite in Charleston, SC are hasimmediate opening for full-time CPed/OrthoticFitter/Assistant. Benefits include health insurance, paidvacation, 401K and continuing education allowance.Relocation allowance negotiable. Call 877.552.7223. Faxresume to 843.871.6510.

Sales Representatives WantedAmbitious experienced salesperson needed to call on areapedorthists and orthotists representing comfort therapeuticshoes for men and women. Multiple sales territoriesavailable! Independent contractor status with excellentcommission plan. Send resume to Director of Sales, PO Box212514 Royal Palm Beach FL 33421-2514.

C.PED WantedC.PED opportunity available in Virginia Beach, Va. Our NewBalance only concept store has an opening for aSELLING/C.PED. Our corporate staff of four C.PED’Sprovide a professional environment and well defined careerdirection for our newest members. Salary and Benefitpackage commensurate with the C.PED’S commitment tohelp make us the best in our market. E-mail resume [email protected].

Products Available Over 8,000 products are in stock and available for sameday shipping. Servicing business like yours for over 50years, we are your one stop source for Pedorthic, Shoemodification/repair, and Shoe care supplies. Representingmany companies like Aetrex, Pedor, Darco, Acor, Spenco,SOF, Tacco Therafirm, Swede-O, Vibram, Guard, Soletech,Kiwi, Renia, Barge, and more. Full-color catalogsare available.

PEDORTHIC MARKETPLACE

AD PageName: Allied OSILocation:

Pickup: October/November 2006; page 28


Alabama Brett Stark, DPM, C.PED, Auburn Footcare Center, Auburn

California Myong H. Chon, Los AngelesWinston Yamate, C.PED, The Agony of De Feet, Los Gatos

FloridaBonnie Pratt, BOC, ABC, BCP, Browning’s Pharmacy Healthcare,MelbourneBradford C. Skiff, MS, ATC, Fastech Foot Technology, Clermont Marcia Kirkland, C.PED, Gator Custom Mobility, Fort WhiteElizabeth A. Masi, Angel Wear dba Foot Solutions, Ocala

Georgia Lonnell Carter, Foot Solutions, Sandy SpringsHarriette P. Bryant, C. PED, R.N., Health Care Needs, Inc.,Blue Ridge

Illinois Jason H. Bergmann, C.PED, ChicagoJohnny C. Bergmann, C.PED, ChicagoVictor Martinez, AM Shoes, Chicago

Louisiana Sheila Law, C.PED, Foot Solutions, Metairie

Massachusetts Rick Cox, New Balance, Lawrence

Michigan Mark Brady, Footworx, Traverse CityMichael Bell, Fastech Labs, Howell

MinnesotaMark Manzella, Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Blaine

Mississippi Dawn Hill, C.PED, BOCO, CMF, J.J. Hill Brace & Limb Co.,GulfportLawrence Hill, BOC PO, CP, C.PED, J.J. Hill Brace & LimbCo., Gulfport

North Carolina Steve Freyer, Foot Solutions, MatthewsBryan Aycock, C.PED, Orthopedic Appliance Company, Asheville

New York Patrick McCormack, New York

OhioTerence J. Smith, C.O., Marshall-Kloene Orthopedics, Maumee

OregonKurt Doctor, Foot Solutions, Tigard

Pennsylvania Steven Gough, DPM, PittsburgMatthew Bradley, C.PED, BOCO, The Training Room, Inc., York

TennesseeCalvin Hoyle, C.PED, C.P.O., FootHeals Prosthetrics &Orthotics, Johnson CityMichael Cohen, NewGen Advanced Orthotics Lab, Cordova

TexasGustavo Villarreal, Foot Pain Relief Store, AustinThomas W. Glidewell, C.Ped, Medicine Chest, Sulphur SpringsLinda Baker Ainsworth, MS, C.PED, Trucare Medical, Mount Pleasant

Virginia Eric L. Bland, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, RichmondJimmy V. Abigando, Jr., C.PED, COF, Tycon Medical Inc, Norfolk

WashingtonJudy Cocchiarella, Foot Solutions Bellevue/Norcross Way Inc.,Bellevue

International

ChinaHo Kit Yuk, Foot Doc +, Hong KongChih-Kuang, Chen, MD, C.PED, Department of PhysicalMedicine & Rehabilitation, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital,Luei-Shan, Taoyuan, Linkou

Canada Derek Whalen, Metro Health Services Saint John, New BrunswickJoanna Wadsworth, Comfort & Fit Bondi Junction, BondiJunction, New South WalesLindy Koletti, C.PED, Comfort & Fit Kogarah, Kogarah, NewSouth Wales

NEW PFA MEMBERSPFA extends a warm welcome to the following individuals and companieswho joined the association from September to December 2006


AD PageName: AGS Footwear

Location: Pickup: August-September 2006;

page 36

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)notified contractors of the restructured Part B QICjurisdictions. Effective Dec. 1, 2006, RiverTrustSolutions became the contractor responsible for the

reconsideration process for DME nationwide. Beginning Nov.20, 2006, you should have noticed a change in yourMedicare Redetermination Notices. You were directed tosend your requests for reconsideration to:

RiverTrust Solutions, IncPO Box 80208Chattanooga TN 37401-7208

Courier Address:RiverTrust Solutions, Inc801 Pine StreetChattanooga TN 37402

Reconsideration requests must be made in writing and canbe submitted on the CMS 20033 form (available atwww.cms.hhs.gov/cmsforms/downloads/cms20033.pdf or viaa letter. The reconsideration request letter must contain thefollowing items:

• Beneficiary name;

• Medicare health-insurance claim number;

• Specific service(s) and item(s) for which the reconsiderationis requested and the specific date(s) of service;

• Name and signature of the party or representative of theparty requesting the reconsideration; and

• Name of the contractor that made the redetermination.

Note: To aid in processing your request and to avoidsignificant delays, a copy of the redetermination noticeshould accompany your reconsideration request.

Any additional documentation, new information or medicalevidence that may assist the QIC in reevaluating the claim(s)should be attached to the written reconsideration request. Ifno additional information is submitted, a decision will bemade based on the documentation contained in the DMEMAC/DMERC redetermination case file.

NEW QUALIFIED INDEPENDENTCONTRACTOR FOR DMERECONSIDERATIONS



AGS Footwear Group (1995)Shoe store supplies, fabricating materials,prefabricated orthotics, heel cups and forefootsupports.

Ashland, VA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-446-3820Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-822-0180E-mail . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . www.agsfootweargroup.com

Acor (1979)Custom and comfort footwear, inserts andmaterials. Originator of Tri-Lam and P-Cell.

Cleveland, OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-237-2267Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216-662-4547E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.acor.com

Alden Shoe Company (1969)Goodyear welt construction footwear for men.

Middleborough, MA . . . . . . . . . . . 508-947-3926Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508-947-7753

AliMed, Inc. (2004)Orthopedic products including orthoses and orthoticmaterials, orthopedic supports, walkers and shoes,therapeutic modalities, diabetic footwear and more.

Dedham, MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-225-2610Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-437-2966E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.alimed.com

Allied OSI Labs (2005)Products include: Talar Made - Customizable,prescription, pre-fabricated foot orthoses; RichieBrace - Comprehensive line of custom, articulatedAFO’s; Footlights - economy line of flat pricedcustom foot orthoses; Plus Line – comprehensiveline of custom foot orthoses.

Indianapolis, IN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-264-3338Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317-299-1367E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.aolabs.com

American Shoe Corporation (2003)Custom shoe company. Complete lines for diabetic,arthritic and geriatric patients. 15-day manufacturingtime and fully guaranteed fit and finish on each pair.

Bedford Hill, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914-241-0422Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914-241-1974E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Apis Footwear Company (2000)Women’s footwear, 103 sizes; men’s footwear, 98sizes. Open stock for immediate delivery.

S. El Monte, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-937-2747Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-448-8783E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bignwideshoes.com

Arizona AFO, Inc. (2003)Central fabrication facility specializing in custom-made leather ankle gauntlets.

Mesa, AZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480-461-1940Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480-461-5187E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.arizonaafo.com

Atlas International (1994)For pedorthic needs. Complete range of materials,prefabs and tools.

Rancho Cordova, CA . . . . . . . . . . . 800-545-6287Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916-858-3320E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.atlasortho.com

Bintz Company, Inc. (1991)Sheet goods, inlays, and related products.

Wheaton, IL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-235-8458Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-653-5077E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bintzco.com

Biomechanical Services Inc. (2004)Custom foot orthotics as well as lower extremityevaluation systems, custom sandals, prefabs,balance therapy tools and educational courses.Technical support services.

Brea, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-942-2272Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714-990-4060E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . www.biomechanical.com

BITE, LLC Footwear (2005)Redmond, WA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206-957-7900Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206-957-7901

Branier Orthopedic Custom Molded Shoes (2004)Catalogue contains over 40 styles. Can duplicate anyshoe on the market. 12-day turnaround, great fit!

Sunrise, FL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-524-0639Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .954-727-2688E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.branier.com

Brooks Sports, Inc. (2001)Walking/athletic shoes in women’s and men’s styles.Delivery includes special orders.

Bothell, WA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-2-BROOKSFax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425-483-8181E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . www.brooksrunning.com

Cascade Orthopedic Supply, Inc. (2000)Foot care products, including shoes, inserts, footorthotics, socks, tools and supplies. All in-stockitems ship same day with overnight delivery.

Chico, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-888-0865Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-847-9180E-mai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cascade-usa.com

Birkenstock Distribution USA, Inc. (1981)Birkenstock Distribution USA, Inc. is theexclusive U.S. importer, distributor and marketerof Birkenstock brand footwear. We believe thatcomfortable, supportive footwear leads topersonal happiness and overall wellbeing. Thisbelief is why our products are designed aroundthe concept that the shape of the shoe shouldfollow the shape of the foot.

Novato, CA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-949-7301Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415-209-4955 E-mail . . . . . . . . [email protected] Web site . . . . . . . . www.birkenstockusa.com

Amfit Inc. (1996)Footfax-SL 3D Contact Digitizer, FootprinterFoam Casting System, precision CAD/CAMCarving Mill, accommodative and functionalcustom foot orthoses and orthotic sandals.

Vancouver, WA . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-356-3668Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360-566-1380E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.amfit.com

Aetrex Worldwide, Inc. (formerly ApexFoot Health Industries, Inc.) (1973)Ready-made triple-density orthotics offeringrearfoot posting & metatarsal support options.

Teaneck, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-526-2739Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201-833-1485E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.aetrex.com

PRODUCT REFERENCEDecember 2006/January 2007

This reference guide is intended solely to make it easier for individuals, facilities and companies to locate pedorthic products. Companies listed in the guide arePFA vendor/manufacturer members. Companies may produce additional products beyond those listed, and most companies are pleased to provide additionalinformation on request. As a courtesy to our readers, CP has noted the year the company joined PFA in parentheses after the company’s name. Inclusion in thislist does not suggest or imply PFA endorsement of companies or products. For space reasons, company product descriptions are limited to 20 words or less.To arrange changes in your company’s listing, contact [email protected].


Chaco, Inc. (2004)Paonia, CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-527-4990Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-527-4997

C.N. Waterhouse Leather Co., Inc. (1998)Manufacturer and distributor of fine leathers,woolskins, suede pig-skins, sheet goods andadhesives for use in the pedorthic footwear andorthopedic industries.

Bedford, MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-322-1177Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 781-271-0499E-mail . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Colonial Shoe Company, Inc. (2003)Atlanta, GA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-678-7463Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-691-7663

DB Shoes Ltd. (2003)Manufacturers of PU direct injection mouldedfootwear in EE, 4E and 6E fittings, all withremovable socks.

Rushden, Norhamptonshire, England 00 44 1933359217Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00 44 1933 410218E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.dbshoes.co.uk

Dr. 2 Shoes, Inc. (2006)Hillsborough, NC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919-644-2288Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919-644-2289E-mai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Dr. Comfort (2004)Dr. Comfort manufactures, warehouses anddistributes the finest quality extra-depth shoes fordiabetics or patients who need quality comfortshoes.

Mequon, WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262-242-5300Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262-242-9300E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . www.drcomfortdpm.com

Dr. Kong Footcare Limited (2005)Manufacturer of children’s, men’s and women’shealthy shoes, insoles, footcare accessories andcomputerized assessment software. 33 chain shoeshops in Hong Kong. Provides check and fitservices and healthy products for everybody.

Kwai Chung, N.T., Hong Kong . . 852-2744-2638Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .852-2744-8845E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . www.dr-kong.footcare.com.hk

Dr. Zen, Inc. (2002)Manufacturer of therapeutic shoes made in leather,suede and lycra

Sanford, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-688-2860Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-688-2864E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.drzen.net

ESKO Orthopedic Specialties (1986)Distributor for major manufacturers of pedorthic &shoe store supplies.

Austin, TX. . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-252-2739, ext. 18Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512-837-3597E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Euro International, Inc. (1997)Preformed insoles, diabetic shoes and materials indifferent hardnesses, especially for diabetics.

Tampa, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-378-2480Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813-246-5998E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.eurointl.com

Feels Good Footwear (2006)Brookfield, CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203-740-8504Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203-740-8503Email . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Finn Comfort (1993)Luxury comfort footwear. Men’s and women’swalking shoes, sandals and boots featuringremovable/modifiable orthopedic footbeds. Hand-crafted in Germany.

Thousand Oaks, CA . . . . . . . . . . . .805-375-0038Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 805-375-0848E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.finncomfort.de

Foot Efx Wholesale Foot Care Products LLC(2003)Arch support, diabetic inserts, diabetic shoes andcomfort shoes.

Las Vegas, NV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702-259-0955Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702-258-6544E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.footefx.com

Foot Fitting LLC (2005)Health Care = Custom Orthotics; Retail = CustomPerformance Footbeds; TruCapture/3D laserscanning.

Scottsdale, AZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480-222-7333Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480-315-1790E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.footfitting.com

Foot Management, Inc. (1984)Manufacturer of custom orthotics. Also carries foamimpression trays, footpads, insoles, felt, foam andmole skin.

Pittsville, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410-835-3668Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410-835-8966E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . .www.footmanagement.com

Foot Solutions, Inc. (2004)Marietta, GA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-955-0099Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-953-6270

Frankford Leather Company, Inc. (1997)Diabetic seamfree socks, foot comfort products,shoes, shoe modification/shoe repair supplies, foamimpression kits, specialty adhesives and more.Same-day shipping. Products from Apex, Soletech,Vibram, EVA, Sher, Dryz, etc. Catalogs available.

Bensalem, PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-245-5555Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215-244-4411E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . www.frankfordleather.com

Gateway Shoe Machine, Inc. (2003)Lebanon, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-752-7897Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618-537-4131E-mail . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . .www.orthopedicmachines.com

Gerda Hoehm/Haflinger (2006)New York, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-949-6767Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-949-8833

Göetz Service GmbH (1997)Special adhesives (Renia), hypoallergenic Eva(Nora); large range of materials, tools and machinesfor production of custom made footwear andorthotics; 210-page catalog.

Göppingen, GER . . . . . . . . . . 49-7161-6102-500Cambridge, Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . 519-653-5635Fax . . . . . . . 49-7161-6102-994 or 519-653-5736E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Guard Industries, Inc. (1996)Components for shoe care, foot comfort, orthoticsand prosthetics. Complete listing of availableproducts will be sent upon request.

St. Louis, MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-535-3508Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314-534-0035E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.guardmfg.com

Hapad, Inc. (1988)Wool felt foot products and sports replacementinsoles.

Bethel Park, PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-544-2723Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-232-9427E-mai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.hapad.com

The Home Foot Care Company (2005)Hot and cold rolling foot massage device for thetreatment of foot pain. Dr. Scholl didn’t invent this,but his nephew did.

Mt. Vernon, IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-765-3338Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812-254-0523E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.thatfootthing.com

Drew Shoe Corporation (1968)Men’s and women’s depth and comfortfootwear in over 150 sizes.

Lancaster, OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-837-3739Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740-654-4979E-mail . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.drewshoe.com

REFERENCE continued on page 52


J.H. Cook & Sons, Inc. (2004)Shoe Modification Components, Foot ComfortProducts and Shoe Repair Supplies. Products fromAetrex, Spenco, Vibram and Soletech.

Granite Quarry, NC . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-279-5568Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .704-279-5261

JLT Services Corp. (1998)JLT Services Corp. administers the PFA productand malpractice liability insurance program.Designed for pedorthists, insurance protection canbe customized for each PFA member.

Chicago, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-544-2672Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312-922-2849

JMS Plastics Supply, Inc. (1990)Plastic sheet materials for fabricating andcushioning foot orthotics.

Neptune, NJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-342-2602Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732-918-8499E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.jmsplastics.com

Jerry Miller I.D. Shoes, Inc. (1977)Orthopedic, custom molded footwear.

Buffalo, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-435-0065Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-881-0349

Joseph H. Deacon Company (2000)Shoe modification and lab supplies. Same-dayshipping.

Cherry Hill, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-355-7463Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856-667-0665E-mail . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Justin Blair & Company (2001)Quality foot and shoe care products. A U.S. licenseefor Tarrago of Spain shoe care products.

Chicago, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-566-0664Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773-523-3639E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

KLM Laboratories (2006)Valencia, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-556-3668Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-556-3338Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Kumfs Shoes New Zealand, Ltd. (1998)Women’s footwear in widths/sizes that accommodatecustom orthotics. (Distributed from New Zealandfactory.)

Auckland, New Zealand. . . . . . . . . 541-487-4999Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541-487-4998E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.kumfs.com

L’s Wear NY, Inc. (2005)European comfort socks and hosiery.

Commack, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631-858-9500Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631-858-9449E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.kunertusa.com

Landesman Bros., Inc. (2003)Distributors of foot comfort products, pedorthic,orthopedic and wound care supplies. Same dayshipping.

Island Park, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-852-8855Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516-889-1253E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . www.landesmanbros.com

Langer Inc. (2006)Deer Park, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-233-2687Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631-667-1203Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

LaZerFit (2006)Cranberry Township, PA. . . . . . . . .724-779-3893Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-779-3895Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Lord Custom Molded Shoes, Inc. (1994)Fashionable custom-molded shoes for men,women, and children. Guaranteed fit and service.

Bohemia, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-SHOES11Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516-471-3090

MMAR Medical Group, Inc. (2003)Distributor of multiple diabetic shoe brands atmanufacturer-direct wholesale pricing. Other productsinclude AFO’s, ankle braces and cam walkers.

Houston, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-662-7633Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-465-2818E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mmarmedical.com

MacPherson Leather Company (2005)Seattle, WA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206-328-0855Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206-328-0859E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Miami Leather Company (2001)Wholesaler to the orthopedic, prosthetic, retail shoeand shoe repair trades. Wide variety of products.

Miami, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305-266-8328Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305-266-8728E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.miamileather.com

M. J. Markell Shoe Company, Inc. (1973)Men’s, women’s and children’s comfort andorthopedic footwear.

Yonkers, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914-963-2258Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914-963-9293E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.markellshoe.com

Mobils by Mephisto (1998)Extra-depth footwear with a removable footbed andnatural orthopedic support.

Franklin, TN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-775-7852Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615-771-5935Email . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mephisto.com

Munro & Company, Inc. (2000)Hot Springs, AR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501-262-6156Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501-262-6165

National Foot Specialties (2005)Custom orthotic manufacturing and continuingeducation courses.

North Ft. Myers, FL. . . . . . . . . . . . 239-707-0279Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239-543-1890Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nationalfoot.com

Natural Step (2004)Manufacturer of men’s and ladies’ handsewnmoccasin extra-depth shoes. Available in a largeselection of sizes and widths.

Jupiter, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-500-7463Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-540-7463E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . www.naturalstepshoes.com

N.E.O.D.S. (2006)Wilton, ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207-645-3200Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207-645-3292E-mail . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

PAL Health Technologies, Inc. (2003)Custom lab for prefabricated and custom anklebraces and orthoses.

Pekin, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-447-0151Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-957-5647E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.palhealth.com

Orthofeet, Inc. (1999)Manufacturer and distributor of high qualitydepth-shoes and orthotics.

Northvale, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-524-2845Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201-767-6748E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.orthofeet.com

New Balance Athletic Shoe/Aravon (1990)A leading manufacturer of technologicallyinnovative athletic products. Recently debutedAravon comfort performance footwear forwomen.

Boston, MA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617-746-2303Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617-746-6303E-mail . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . www.newbalance.com

InStride Shoes (2003)InStride is a manufacturer of Medicarereimbursable, multiple width footwear fordiabetics that features the three layer CustomFit System.

Hillsborough, NJ. . . . . . . . . .866-9-MY-FEETFax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908-359-7434E-mail . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . www.instrideshoes.com

REFERENCE continued from page 51


PartnerShip (2000)PartnerShip, in cooperation with PFA, offersmembers-only discounts and savings on smallpackage shipping with FedEx Ground, and on largefreight shipments with Yellow Freight.

Oberlin, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-599-2902Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440-774-2823

PediFix, Inc. (2001)High quality pressure relief footcare products.

Brewster, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-424-5561Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 845-277-2851E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pedifix.com

PEL Supply Company (1995)Wholesale distributor stocks broad selection offinished foot and arch products, materials and toolsfor fabricating foot orthotics.

Cleveland, OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-321-1264Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-222-6176E-mail . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pelsupply.com

Pepper Gate Footwear, Inc. (2006)Pomona, CA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909-865-2171Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909-868-7252Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Pro Custom Labs (2005)Custom ankle-foot orthoses, custom foot prosthesisand foot orthoses.

Chimacum, WA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-PRO-LABSFax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360-437-9319E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . www.procustomlabs.com

Propet USA, Inc. (2000)Leading manufacturer in men’s and women’scomfort walking shoes. Available in up to 5 widths,sizes 5-13 in women’s, 7-17 in men’s. Propetfeatures a vast selection of Medicare A5500 codedfootwear with removable orthotics, secure closureand maximum customization.

Kent, WA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-877-6738Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-597-8668E-mail . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.propetusa.com

Remington Products (2000)Insoles and sheet packages, rigid arch supports,viscoelastic heel cups, 3/4 and full insoles.Wadsworth, OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330-335-1571Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330-336-9462Email Adress. . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.remprod.com

Renia GmbH (2001)Specially-designed adhesives and components for theshoe industry, shoe repair trade, and O & P industry.

Cologne, Germany. . . . . . . . . . . 49-221-6307990Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49-221-63079950E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.renia.com

Riecken’s Orthotic Laboratory (1985)Foot comfort products and custom orthotics frompatient’s casts. Also, pedorthic education classes onsecond Friday of each month.

Evansville, IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812-476-8006Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812-476-4271E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . www.footcomfortworld.com

P.W. Minor & Son, Inc. (1968)Footwear products for foothealth.

Batavia, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585-343-1500Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585-343-1514Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pwminor.com

Pedors Shoes (1999)Orthopedic shoes with a neoprene forefoot.

Marietta, GA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-750-6729Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-446-3101Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pedors.com

REFERENCE continued on page 54


Rocket7 (2005)Custom cycling shoes, orthotics and added depthcycling shoes (35-53 in AA, A, B, C, D, EE, EEE, 6E).

Puyallup, WA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253-848-3242Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253-830-0162E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rocket7.com

Rogers Corporation (1995)Offers a wide selection of specialty materialsfor the healthcare industry, including PORONMedical urethanes, Bisco silicone materials andPolyolefin foams .

Woodstock, CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 860-928-3622Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 860-928-7843E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.litporonhc.comWeb site . . . . . . . . . . www.rogerscorporation.com

Ruby Leather & Orthopedic Company Inc.(1998)Milwaukee, WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414-778-2288Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414-778-2047

STS Company (1997)Resin-impregnated tubular and fitted socks made totake foot and ankle impressions for custom shoesand foot/ankle orthotic devices.

Mill Valley, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-787-9097Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415-381-4610E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.stssox.com

Saderma – North (2005)Yuba City, CA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530-674-5230Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530-674-5238

SafeStep (2004)Factory direct prices of various footwear brands.

Milford, CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203-874-7722Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203-723-0091E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.safestep.net

Saucony/Spot Bilt (2001)Peabody, MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-532-5222Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-532-9000

Sequoia/Comfort Rite (1998)Quality comfort footwear in a variety of sizes andwidths.

New Holstein, WI. . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-898-5556Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-898-4605

Shoe Innovations (1998)Distributers euro-comfort with style, available indifferent widths for women and men.

Woodlands, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-FIT-FEET Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281-465-8822E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . www.shoeinnovations.com

Shoe Systems Plus, Inc. (2003)Complete line of orthotic and prosthetic equipmentincluding finishers/grinders, vacuum pans, pumps,presses, industrial sewing machines, fume bustersand more.

Goshen, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-354-6278Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 845-291-7097E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . www.shoesystemsplus.com

Silipos, Inc. (1991)Skin protection devices using an advanced polymertechnology incorporated into an entireorthotics/footcare product line.

Niagara Falls, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-229-4404Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-283-0600E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.silipos.com

Soletech (1995)Salem, MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-225-2192Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-741-2091

Solidschuhwerk GMBH (2006)Tuttlingen, Germany . . . . . . . . . . . 074-619-6120Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 746-196-1270

Southern Leather Company (1996)7 locations nationwide. The most extensivepedorthic and shoe care/repair inventory in theindustry. Inventory includes Apex, Soletech, Eva,Vibram and Acor.

Memphis, TN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-844-6767Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 901-946-1059E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Spira (2004)El Paso, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-838-8640Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .915-838-8641

Sroufe Healthcare (2006)Ligonier, IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260-894-4171Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260-894-4092E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Sugar Free Sox (2006)Escpmdodp. CA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 760-739-9003Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 760-739-9682E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Superfeet Worldwide LLP (2003)Ferndale, WA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360-384-1820Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360-384-2724E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Tauer and Johnson (2006)Mt. Prospect, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-631-7440Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-956-5870E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Tekscan, Inc. (1994)Broad range of pressure assessment andclinical/research evaluation tools for use inorthotics, brace evaluations, joint biomechanics,and gait analysis.

Boston, MA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .617-464-4500Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617-464-4266E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.tekscan.com

Therafirm (A Division of Knit-Rite, Inc.) (1999)Quality medical-grade compression hosiery anddiabetic socks.

Ellerbe, NC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-562-2701Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 910-652-2438Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.therafirm.com

Thor-Lo, Inc. (2001)Statesville, NC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-872-6522Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-838-6323

Trulife (2006)Jackson, MI.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-788-2267Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-245-3765E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Tru-Mold Shoes, Inc. (1980)Custom-molded shoes made in America

Buffalo, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-843-6653Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-881-0406E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.trumold.com

UCO International (1987)Materials, tools, and lab equipment for productionof custom orthotics. Comprehensive line of pre-molded foot orthosis and Quick-Sil silicone system.

Wheeling, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-541-4030Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-541-4144E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site . . . . . . . . . . . www.ucointernational.com

USA Orthopedic Manufacturer Shoes &Braces (2005)Manufacturer of high quality custom madeorthopedic footwear, orthotics & braces.

Gilbert, AZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480-855-1287E-mail . . . . . . . . [email protected]

SAS Shoemakers (1992)SAS makes comfortable shoes that care forall feet.

San Antonio, TX . . . . . . . . . . . 210-921-7455Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210-921-7460E-mail . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sasshoes.com

REFERENCE continued from page 53

AD PageName: Euro International

Location: IBCPickup:October-November 2006; page 32

PFA 0200107 JanFeb07 · PFA’s 2006 Symposium & Exposition A Huge Success 24 January/February 2007...

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