Podiatry
Sub-specialties: Footprint/footwear identification, Forensic
gait analysis, Medical legal reports
Forensic podiatry can be defined as the
application of sound and researched podiatry knowledge and
experience in forensic investigations, to show the association of
an individual with a scene of crime, or to answer any other legal
question concerned with the foot or footwear that requires
knowledge of the functioning foot.
In practice, forensic podiatrists assist in the identification
of perpetrators of crime from footprints and footwear, especially
when foot function, wear associated with the foot/shoe interface
and shoe size issues are involved. They also use their specialised
knowledge of lower limb function to correlate the gait patterns of
individuals captured on CCTV with the gait patterns of suspected
offenders.
Forensic podiatrists are also involved in providing medical
legal reports in relation to matters of personal injury and
clinical negligence. They are also involved in the identification
of human remains and of deceased individuals who have previously
received podiatry care, from comparison with detail listed in their
podiatry records.
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