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The Orthotics Evidence Portal (previously known as the Directory of Evidence Based Orthotics Practice) has been re-launched on the Right Decision Service.
Click here https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/the-orthotics-evidence-portal
The evidence contained in the Portal is reviewed on a monthly basis with support from the Orthotics Education and Training Trust and the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO).
Maintenance of the portal is overseen by the BAPO Professional Affairs Committee.
This resource has been created to direct Orthotists and other health care professionals to the evidence that supports Orthotic practice.
The Orthotics Evidence Portal is structured into sections, including Musculoskeletal care and Diabetes care. Within each section users will find a list of references relating to the orthotic management of a specific condition or body part. Links are provided beside each reference from which users can access the full text articles.
The aim of the Portal is to assist Orthotists to use evidence-based practice when treating patients, by providing easy access to the evidence relevant to their decision making.
- It is not an academic resource and the quality of evidence contained within the portal cannot be assured.
- Users should critically appraise the evidence within the portal to assess its quality and relevance.
The Evidence sections are structured in accordance with the "hierarchy of evidence". This is a system used to rank the strength and reliability of research findings, helping clinicians to determine which types of studies provide the most trustworthy evidence for making clinical decisions. Using this hierarchy means that the most reliable types of evidence are displaced first. In the Portal the evidence hierarchy is structed as follows:
- Meta-Analyses
- Systematic Reviews
- Interventional Studies (such as randomised controlled trials etc.)
- Observational Studies (such as cohort studies and case-control studies etc.)
- Case Series / Case Studies
- Narrative Literature Reviews
- Expert Opinion
The Orthotics evidence portal (previously known as the Directory of Evidence Based Orthotics Practice) project began in October 2014 when a successful bid was made to the Scottish Government as part of the Orthopaedic Quality Drive. The bid was to support Orthotists to engage with the MSK Improvement Agenda. The aim was to identify the evidence relating to orthotic treatment of MSK conditions.
This funding allowed a small group of individuals to identify the evidence base relating to Musculoskeletal conditions over a three month period, from which the first version of the portal was created. This initial work was supported by the following Institutions and Organisations:
- Scottish Government
- NHS Scotland
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- NHS Lanarkshire
- NHS Forth Valley
- British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists
- Buchanan Orthotics Ltd
- Munro Bolton Orthotics Ltd
- Talar Made Ltd
- Scottish Clinical Orthotic Leads Group
In 2017, the portal was fully re-built and expanded to include the sections that you see today.
The Orthotics Evidence Portal welcomes contributions from anyone interested in the field of Orthotic interventions. If you have read an article that you believe should be included in The Orthotics Evidence Portal, let us know!
Does the article meet the inclusion criteria for The Orthotics Evidence Portal?
In order to be considered for inclusion in The Orthotics Evidence Portal, the article needs to meet all of the below inclusion criteria:
- The article relates to an orthotic intervention
- The article is available in English
- The pathology investigated within the article fits within one of the published sections of the Orthotics Evidence Portal. Currently these are
- Adult MSK conditions
- Diabetic Foot Pathologies
Check if the article is already listed in The Orthotics Evidence Portal.
If the article meets the inclusion criteria and is not currently listed then please email: evidence@BAPO.com using the following format.
Subject: Article(s) reviewed for The Orthotics Evidence Portal
In the body of the email you should number the articles if there is more than one, and include the following information for each:
Type of study: i.e. Metaanalysis, Interventional study, Observational study etc. You do not need to send a formal appraisal of the article.
Pathway: Which pathway does the evidence belong to, i.e. MSK or Diabetes
Node: Which treatment does the evidence relate to, i.e. insoles, footwear, AFO etc.
Reference: Harvard style is preferable
Link: A link to the article, preferably a link to the article on PubMed. This does not need to be a full text link.
If you have an interest in developing a section in any of the following areas please contact evidence@bapo.com or visit our X (twitter) page at @OrthoticsOEP
- Neurology
- Paediatrics
- Spinal
- Inflammatory conditions
