Evidence-Based Approach and Clinical Excellence in Pedorthics

How Kintec is Advancing the Field of Custom Foot Orthotics

By Michael Ryan PhD, C. Ped (C)

Kintec is revolutionizing the orthotic industry through our evidence-based approach to care. We’re proud of our team of trusted experts, the largest foot-care database in Canada, and our unique patient monitoring system. This is the foundation that helps us consistently deliver successful outcomes and become the largest privately owned orthotics and footwear company in Canada. We embrace this evidenced-based approach with all our patient’s treatment plans. We listen, learn, and take the time to understand your unique challenges and goals so you can feel better and move better.

Traditional Versus Evidence-Based Medicine 

The traditional medical approach to treatment is based largely on a practitioner’s initial training and their clinical experience. The understanding here is that a clinician has most of the knowledge to treat someone with their educational background; therefore, there is limited need to search elsewhere for perspectives on treating a selected presenting issue.  If the patient’s symptoms didn’t see improvement, it was likely due to either the patient not following the clinician’s advice or the result of a particularly recalcitrant condition.

In comparison, an evidence-based approach expands on the traditional mindset by combining the clinician’s expertise with the patient’s perspectives along with the evidence for ‘best practice’ treatments (from the scientific literature). The most notable difference in the evidence-based model is the combined integration of current ‘best practices’ (based on science) with the clinician’s experience on what worked well in the past. On top of all this, is consideration of the patient’s own concerns, ambitions, and belief system.  The patient is a key player in the evidenced-based model!

Here’s how Kintec delivers on the evidence-based model of foot care:

Clinical Expertise at Kintec

Clinical care is at the heart of what we do. Our team of Certified Canadian Pedorthists all hold university degrees in kinesiology and then undergo specific training in clinical biomechanics, footwear science and pedorthics.  Only following 1500 hours of supervision, and challenging both a written and practical exam, is a Kintec pedorthist certified.  Collectively, this builds our expertise in the design and manufacture of custom orthotics (which we do right here in Metro Vancouver in our own high-tech lab), as well as in the selection, fit, and modification of footwear.

Over the last 29 years, our pedorthic care has evolved based on the latest scientific research and what has worked best for more than half a million people we’ve helped.

Best Evidence – Proven Results

Our treatment approach not only leverages our clinical experience, but also follows best practice guidelines in the scientific literature.  Furthermore, our database of over 50,000 patient visits helps provide useful insights on how to optimize treatment success.  Over 86% of our patients report improvement in their symptoms, including difficult to treat conditions such as plantar fasciitis, low back pain and knee osteoarthritis.  Kintec continues to refine the best-practices for delivery of custom orthotics in our industry!

Respecting Patient Values Leads to Continuous Improvement

We’re committed to continually learning and improving our outcomes so we can provide the best possible treatment for our future patients. With our patient follow-up system, we systematically monitor all foot orthotic and knee brace patients to monitor your orthotic comfort, pain levels and overall level of recovery.

Not only do we want to ensure our patients see improvement, but we also want to continually investigate how foot orthotics can help people nationwide feel better and stay active on their feet. Through our partnership with UBC’s Motion Analysis and Biofeedback Lab we’ve successfully found new ways foot orthotics can help people with knee osteoarthritis. Based on the outcomes from this project we’ve rewritten the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Canadian Pedorthic Association for knee osteoarthritis to improve care and outcomes for all pedorthic patients across Canada.