ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK - Concepts for the future

Photo: C. Maurer Fachmedien/Eisele

On October 20/21, 2023, the gates will open again for ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK - International Trade Fair and Congress. After being postponed from 2021 to 2022 due to the Corona pandemic, the event will return to its normal biennial schedule in 2023. This year's focus will be on concepts for orthopedic footwear businesses and expanding knowledge about human movement and the therapeutic approach to foot problems.

What concepts can an orthopedic footwear company use to survive on the market in the future? What knowledge and skills are needed to hold one's own in the face of new technological developments and increasing competition? These are the two main questions to be discussed at the congress, in the seminars and in the forum in the exhibition hall.

 My Company - My Future - Concepts and perspectives for Pedorthics

Pedorthics is under pressure from many sides. The common shortage of skilled workers is shifting the production of assistive devices more and more towards technology and external service providers. The structure of businesses is changing. While some companies are growing and branching out, many business owners are unable to find a successor for their business. The former urge to be one's own boss has often given way to a fear of self-employment. Competitors from outside are trying to gain a foothold in the pedorthic market.

All these developments are no reason to stick one's head in the sand. They challenge to find new solutions and new concepts for this craft, so that also in the future committed and well trained pedorthists with their own business can compete in the market. This will be the theme of the congress and also of the trade fair, as many exhibitors will be offering solutions to these questions.

Analyze, Understand, Treat - more knowledge for better care

How can pedorthists stand out from their competitors in the future if feet can simply be scanned and the data sent around the world for fitting? One answer is: in the future, he will concentrate even more on those areas that require direct contact with the customer and cannot be digitized. These are examinations of the patient that provide the decisive clues as to which treatment solution will best help the patient. These include foot examinations, but also gait, posture and walking analyses. One of the topics of the congress will be how to use these in a meaningful way in the company in order to improve the fittings and to bind the customers to one's own company. In addition to lectures, seminars and activities are planned for practical implementation.

Call for Abstracts

In addition to the main topics, new findings from science and practice will also be presented at the congress, as usual. The organizers welcome submissions from the fields of medicine, science, biomechanics and practical care. The call for abstracts has been published. The extensive seminar program will on the one hand explore topics from the congress in greater depth, and on the other hand will again present a broad range of topics from specialist knowledge to business management and marketing.