Improving lower limb function and decreasing foot pain in Dartmouth NS since 1998.

Welcome to Burnside Orthotics, owned and operated by Rob Chisholm BSc, MTS, C. Ped. C., C. Ped. Tech. C. I operated the first Pedorthic Clinic in Dartmouth, good things happen on this side of the bridge ! I have always had my practice within integrated health care models, believing strongly that this kind of environment widens my clinical lens and holds me accountable to my peer in our collective health care community. It also allows me to establish intimate close working relationships with speciality health care professionals that can provide my patients and myself with invaluable help where needed. I work from several clinic locations in HRM, all of which are aligned with care, compassion and connection to the people/patients/persons in those communities where they are located. My Burnside practice is conveniently located near Wright Avenue on Ilsley at Symmetry Wellness Centre less than five minutes off the circumferential highway. This small clinic is a collective group of specialty caregivers defining themselves with connection to the person, providing care to the busy working community of Burnside and the community at large around it.

I recognize that foot health is not just about decreasing foot and lower limb pain, it is about improving foot posture and foot function for long term gain. It is absolutely about prolonging ones capacity to work and to play on their feet.   My mission is to help my patients accomplish these goals in less pain, with compassion and integrity.

I was born on the east coast in Halifax. My mother and father were outpost Physician and Nurse and we spent many years in stunning outpost north coast British Columbia.  The little Bella Coola valley elementary school I attended had a full size track that was three steps away from the back entrance to the school.  If I wasn't on the track I was staring at it out the window until the bell rang.  My grade seven home room teacher also the track coach had worked with Pan-Am and Commonwealth games athletes in Vancouver so needless to say track-running, jumping and throwing was a huge part of my early life. and I loved all of it.  I recall with fondness the little First Nations boy and friend who would show up on sports day with no formal training and run like the wind leaving fellow sprinters at his heels. Another little boy would also come up once a year from his books and thick framed glasses with no formal training and run longer distances tirelessly with no one close at the finish line. How was this possible? What makes our bodies work differently from one another even with the same workload history. My love affair with movement and the mystery and magic around how our bodies worked began at a young age.  My Pedorthic work is certainly about and stems from that early love.

My intention is to educate my patients in a multi disciplinary setting with other independent compassionate specialty care providers while offering them the most comprehensive care. I fully recognize that I cannot always make all foot and lower limb pain go away, but I do recognize that managing an individuals specific and unique baseline needs as well as we can, can have significant consequence for improved tolerance and function now and later in life even if we are currently later in life.  By combining the very latest orthopaedic technology with honed traditional techniques, I aim to provide my patients the best care possible.

Rob started his Canadian Certified Pedorthist, C.Ped.C., work in the mid 90's.  Rob's prior education includes a BSc in Anatomy/Physiology, two years specialty in Biomechanics and Exercise physiology and a Masters Degree in Theological studies non-divinity/family counseling.  After a three year- 4000 hour Canadian Certified Pedorthist certification process Rob began his Pedorthic practice in the first of it's kind Integrated Health Care model in Dartmouth at Integrated health in Cole Harbour Place.  After six very good years, Rob moved his practice to the Medicine in Motion/Soles In Motion Group in Burnside where he continued to manage and grow his practice until 2015.  After a much needed break and some time off with a kind beautiful woman who he was blessed to meet at that same time, Rob returned to Pedorthics.  Rob looks back at his time with the Medicine in Motion/Soles in Motion Group and his time there with GP, founder and medical director Dr. Mark Fletcher with fondness recognizing though that when a model gets busier than Rob's care/compassion style can keep up it's time to reassess.  Rob welcomes all patients that were part of his prior practice.  

Rob is painfully aware of the disservice some non-specialty providers of quasi custom/custom orthotics has done to this true specialty field of health care, and works in and battles with this reality daily in his practice. The Insurance industry has caught up with some of this issue and some insurance companies are building in reasonably good check systems that are designed to protect the care provided to their clients, but there is absolutely much more work to be done on this front.  It truly and ultimately is the responsibility of the individual to educate themselves, and it is our obligation as Canadian Certified specialty caregivers and providers to look out for the best interest of our patients.