Empowering the Pedorthist by Enhancing their Role in the Opioid Crisis
turning the tide. Certified pedorthists do not
prescribe opioid pain medication, however,
addressing the ripple effect of opioid overuse
and abuse may allow for the pedorthist to take
an active role to assist prescribing providers
and patients to work in concert to avert
harm from this epidemic. The opioid crisis
indirectly impacts the pedorthic clinician
on many levels. This article highlights the
challenges of the current opioid epidemic and
outlines strategies that pedorthic practice
as a profession may adopt to be part of the
solution. These strategies include facilitating
and providing patient education, the early
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Opioid analgesics have been prescribed
by balancing their beneļ¬cial and adverse
effects to treat pain to include foot pain. 1,2
The exponential growth of opioid-related
morbidity and mortality has raised national
attention. Opioid overdose deaths have nearly
surpassed deaths from car crashes, and
deaths from heroin have exceeded those from
gun violence. The management of pain is a
cornerstone of diagnosis and treatments of
all health care providers. Every health care
practitioner has important roles to play to
combat opioid abuse which may be a new and
uncomfortable role for some, but essential to
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Pedorthic Footcare Association | www.pedorthics.org