This chapter commences with a brief history of the use of bare footprints in identification – in ... more This chapter commences with a brief history of the use of bare footprints in identification – in areas in which several disciplines can have involvement – a competent technician can perform some of these tasks as well as undertake an initial assessment to determine whether the evidence is of adequate quality to proceed further. There are times, however, when it
As a routine aspect of their practice, podiatrists are required to keep accurate and relevant rec... more As a routine aspect of their practice, podiatrists are required to keep accurate and relevant records of their patients, their foot condition, associated diagnoses, and subsequent treatment. This recorded information has previously been demonstrated to have value in person identification. This chapter considers identification from podiatry records, presents an overview of the approaches that would be taken in this work,
Forensic gait analysis is the most recent subspecialty of forensic podiatry. The work of forensic... more Forensic gait analysis is the most recent subspecialty of forensic podiatry. The work of forensic gait analysis involves the recognition and comparison of gait and features of gait, to assist the process of identification. The gait patterns and features of gait used in this process are usually those captured on closed circuit television (CCTV) footage, which needs to be examined in depth by the forensic podiatrist. As in other forensic identification processes, unknown or questioned footage of the person of interest in relation to a crime scene is compared against known footage that has been made of a known person. Conclusions are then made as to the value of the features that are seen to either match or mismatch in this comparison. This chapter defines forensic gait analysis, describes the processes involved, and comments on cautions that should be adopted while performing this work.
The forensic podiatrist is an expert witness whose overriding duties are to the court. In perform... more The forensic podiatrist is an expert witness whose overriding duties are to the court. In performing these duties, the podiatrist must live and work to high professional standards and during practice, should work to defined protocols. This chapter covers this area and provides an explanation of these standards and protocols, adherence to which will go a long way to preventing errors from occurring while working as a forensic podiatrist.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, May 1, 2004
Qualitative analysis of shoe wear patterns collected from a questionnaire evaluating podiatric ph... more Qualitative analysis of shoe wear patterns collected from a questionnaire evaluating podiatric physicians’ experiences in this area suggests that wear patterns could indicate causative function within a known pathologic context. Several different functions are suggested by patterns associated with each of the pathologic entities involved, and analysis of the relationship between patterns and reasons given by respondents for pattern-form variations show the strongest associations to be with functionally termed conditions. A basic model is proposed to present factors important in wear pattern production, suggesting that a new concept of primary walking intention is more influential than foot pathologies in wear pattern formation and that external factors are also influential, with the combined factors being described as the “holistic foot function.” This model may provide a variety of benefits to podiatric medicine; as shoe wear patterns are records of the usual long-term activity of the functioning foot, this paradigm could form a basis for podiatric medical practice. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 94(3): 261–268, 2004)
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, Oct 1, 1999
Seventy-nine subjects from 14 centers in eight English National Health Service Trusts recorded th... more Seventy-nine subjects from 14 centers in eight English National Health Service Trusts recorded their levels of preoperative and postoperative pain and perceived change in pain on 100-mm visual analog scales before and after scalpel debridement of painful plantar hyperkeratosis. A significant reduction in pain was reported following treatment, and there were highly significant differences between the preoperative and postoperative scores. There were no age- or sex-related differences in any of the preoperative, postoperative, or perceived-change scores. The objective data support the anecdotal evidence that scalpel debridement of painful plantar hyperkeratosis is immediately effective in the palliative management of such patients.
Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine, Aug 1, 2006
Forensic podiatry is a small, but potentially useful specialty using clinical podiatric knowledge... more Forensic podiatry is a small, but potentially useful specialty using clinical podiatric knowledge for the purpose of person identification. The practice of forensic podiatry began in the early 1970s in Canada and the UK, although supportive research commenced later in the 1990s. Techniques of forensic podiatry include identification from podiatry records, the human footprint, footwear, and the analysis of gait forms captured on Closed Circuit Television Cameras. The most valuable techniques relate to the comparison of the foot impressions inside shoes. Tools to describe, measure and compare foot impressions with footwear wear marks have been developed through research with potential for further development. The role of forensic podiatrists is of particular value when dealing with variable factors relating to the functioning and the shod foot. Case studies demonstrate the approach of podiatrists, in footwear identification, when comparing exemplar with questioned foot impressions. Forensic podiatry practice should be approached cautiously and it is essential for podiatrists undertaking this type of work to understand the context within which the process of person identification takes place.
This chapter commences with a brief history of the use of bare footprints in identification – in ... more This chapter commences with a brief history of the use of bare footprints in identification – in areas in which several disciplines can have involvement – a competent technician can perform some of these tasks as well as undertake an initial assessment to determine whether the evidence is of adequate quality to proceed further. There are times, however, when it
As a routine aspect of their practice, podiatrists are required to keep accurate and relevant rec... more As a routine aspect of their practice, podiatrists are required to keep accurate and relevant records of their patients, their foot condition, associated diagnoses, and subsequent treatment. This recorded information has previously been demonstrated to have value in person identification. This chapter considers identification from podiatry records, presents an overview of the approaches that would be taken in this work,
Forensic gait analysis is the most recent subspecialty of forensic podiatry. The work of forensic... more Forensic gait analysis is the most recent subspecialty of forensic podiatry. The work of forensic gait analysis involves the recognition and comparison of gait and features of gait, to assist the process of identification. The gait patterns and features of gait used in this process are usually those captured on closed circuit television (CCTV) footage, which needs to be examined in depth by the forensic podiatrist. As in other forensic identification processes, unknown or questioned footage of the person of interest in relation to a crime scene is compared against known footage that has been made of a known person. Conclusions are then made as to the value of the features that are seen to either match or mismatch in this comparison. This chapter defines forensic gait analysis, describes the processes involved, and comments on cautions that should be adopted while performing this work.
The forensic podiatrist is an expert witness whose overriding duties are to the court. In perform... more The forensic podiatrist is an expert witness whose overriding duties are to the court. In performing these duties, the podiatrist must live and work to high professional standards and during practice, should work to defined protocols. This chapter covers this area and provides an explanation of these standards and protocols, adherence to which will go a long way to preventing errors from occurring while working as a forensic podiatrist.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, May 1, 2004
Qualitative analysis of shoe wear patterns collected from a questionnaire evaluating podiatric ph... more Qualitative analysis of shoe wear patterns collected from a questionnaire evaluating podiatric physicians’ experiences in this area suggests that wear patterns could indicate causative function within a known pathologic context. Several different functions are suggested by patterns associated with each of the pathologic entities involved, and analysis of the relationship between patterns and reasons given by respondents for pattern-form variations show the strongest associations to be with functionally termed conditions. A basic model is proposed to present factors important in wear pattern production, suggesting that a new concept of primary walking intention is more influential than foot pathologies in wear pattern formation and that external factors are also influential, with the combined factors being described as the “holistic foot function.” This model may provide a variety of benefits to podiatric medicine; as shoe wear patterns are records of the usual long-term activity of the functioning foot, this paradigm could form a basis for podiatric medical practice. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 94(3): 261–268, 2004)
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, Oct 1, 1999
Seventy-nine subjects from 14 centers in eight English National Health Service Trusts recorded th... more Seventy-nine subjects from 14 centers in eight English National Health Service Trusts recorded their levels of preoperative and postoperative pain and perceived change in pain on 100-mm visual analog scales before and after scalpel debridement of painful plantar hyperkeratosis. A significant reduction in pain was reported following treatment, and there were highly significant differences between the preoperative and postoperative scores. There were no age- or sex-related differences in any of the preoperative, postoperative, or perceived-change scores. The objective data support the anecdotal evidence that scalpel debridement of painful plantar hyperkeratosis is immediately effective in the palliative management of such patients.
Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine, Aug 1, 2006
Forensic podiatry is a small, but potentially useful specialty using clinical podiatric knowledge... more Forensic podiatry is a small, but potentially useful specialty using clinical podiatric knowledge for the purpose of person identification. The practice of forensic podiatry began in the early 1970s in Canada and the UK, although supportive research commenced later in the 1990s. Techniques of forensic podiatry include identification from podiatry records, the human footprint, footwear, and the analysis of gait forms captured on Closed Circuit Television Cameras. The most valuable techniques relate to the comparison of the foot impressions inside shoes. Tools to describe, measure and compare foot impressions with footwear wear marks have been developed through research with potential for further development. The role of forensic podiatrists is of particular value when dealing with variable factors relating to the functioning and the shod foot. Case studies demonstrate the approach of podiatrists, in footwear identification, when comparing exemplar with questioned foot impressions. Forensic podiatry practice should be approached cautiously and it is essential for podiatrists undertaking this type of work to understand the context within which the process of person identification takes place.
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