Become a Clinical Partner | Reinforce Your Plan of Care
Better footwear support starts with a better clinical partnership.
Partner with Confluence Running to help your patients, clients, athletes, and staff make more informed footwear decisions. Our Dynamic Footwear Specialists combine structured fitting education with ongoing training led in part by a physical therapist on our team.
Built for your practice
A footwear resource for professionals who help people move
We work with healthcare, rehabilitation, wellness, and performance professionals who want a trusted local resource for footwear, insoles, fit education, and patient-friendly guidance.
Healthcare Providers
Primary care, podiatry, orthopedics, sports medicine, chiropractic, and other clinical practices.
Rehabilitation Teams
Physical therapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation professionals, and athletic trainers.
Wellness & Performance
Health coaches, fitness professionals, school programs, workplace wellness teams, and community organizations.
What partnership looks like
Practical support without adding work to your day
Connect
Tell us about your practice, patient population, and the types of footwear questions you see most often.
Educate
Schedule a Lunch & Learn, request clinic resources, or arrange a store visit for your staff.
Refer
Direct patients to a nearby Confluence Running location for an individualized retail footwear fitting.
Our fitting education
Certified Dynamic Footwear Specialists
A Dynamic Footwear Specialist (DFS) is a person who has completed and passed a footwear-focused certification program. The program uses science-based education to build knowledge of foot and ankle biomechanics, footwear construction, dynamic foams and support structures, measurement, gait and movement observation, fit, and footwear selection.
At Confluence Running, candidates complete the DFS certification as a condition of joining our fitting team. The certification includes approximately 15–25 hours of online and in-person education, followed by continued product and fitting education after hire.
DFS is a footwear certification—not a medical license or clinical credential. Our specialists provide retail footwear fittings and product education. They do not diagnose injuries, prescribe treatment, or replace a healthcare provider.
DFS Certification Topics
- Foot and ankle biomechanics
- Footwear structure and dynamic foam technology
- Foot measurement, gait observation, and fit
- Comparing footwear features and intended uses
In-Person Application
- Applying online coursework to real fittings
- Listening to customer goals and comfort history
- Comparing multiple footwear options
- Explaining sizing, width, lacing, insoles, and product use
PT-Supported Staff Education
- Additional education from a physical therapist on our staff
- Anatomy and common movement-related terminology
- Understanding clinical instructions without changing them
- Knowing when to direct a customer back to a healthcare provider
Lunch & Learn
Bring practical footwear education to your team
We offer in-office and virtual sessions for clinics, schools, wellness programs, and community organizations. Each presentation can be adjusted to your staff, patient population, and most common footwear questions.
Possible topics
- What happens during a specialty footwear fitting
- Understanding cushioning, stability, geometry, sizing, and width
- Footwear considerations for walking, running, work, and daily activity
- Insoles, lacing strategies, and comparing footwear options
- How to refer patients or clients to Confluence Running
- What a Dynamic Footwear Specialist is trained to do—and not do
Lunch & Learns are educational presentations. They do not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or continuing-education credit unless separately approved and stated in writing.
Schedule a presentation
Email Kaylee with your organization, preferred format, approximate group size, possible dates, and the topics that would be most useful for your team.
- In-person or virtual options
- Customized to your organization
- Product samples and hands-on comparisons when appropriate
- Time for staff questions
Become a partner
Join the Confluence Running clinical partner network
Clinical partnership can be as simple as knowing who to contact when a patient has footwear questions. It can also include referral resources, staff education, Lunch & Learns, store visits, and ongoing communication with the Confluence Running team.
Email Kaylee with a little information about your organization and how you would like to work together. She can help connect you with the appropriate Confluence Running location and resources.
Clinical partners can request
- Printed or digital referral materials
- A Lunch & Learn or staff presentation
- A guided visit to a Confluence Running location
- Information about the DFS certification and our fitting process
- Clinical-partner newsletters and educational updates
- A direct conversation about supporting your patients or clients
Patient referrals
A simple next step for your patients
Send patients to the Confluence Running location most convenient for them. They can bring a referral card, written footwear considerations, or their own list of questions. Our staff will provide a retail fitting and explain available options.
Before the visit
Encourage the patient to bring the socks, insoles, braces, or orthotics they normally use.
During the visit
Our staff will discuss fit, comfort, intended use, and product differences without diagnosing or changing the plan of care.
After the visit
The patient leaves with clear product-use guidance and can return to the store with fit or comfort questions.
For privacy and security, this Shopify page should not be used to transmit patient health information. Clinical documentation should remain within your organization’s approved communication systems.
Five New York locations
Connect with the store closest to your community
Johnson City
Binghamton areaCorning
Southern Tier / Finger LakesMiddletown
Hudson ValleyWatertown
North CountryLake Placid
Ruthie’s Run / AdirondacksFrequently asked questions
Clinical partnership questions
What is a Dynamic Footwear Specialist?
A Dynamic Footwear Specialist is a person who has completed and passed a footwear-focused certification program covering science-based footwear education, foot and ankle biomechanics, footwear construction, measurement, movement observation, fit, and footwear selection.
Is DFS a medical certification?
No. DFS is a footwear certification, not a medical license or clinical credential. It prepares a specialist to provide a knowledgeable retail footwear fitting while staying within the proper scope of a footwear retailer.
When do Confluence Running team members complete the certification?
Candidates who will perform footwear fittings must successfully complete and pass the DFS certification as a condition of employment. The program includes approximately 15–25 hours of online and in-person education, with continued training after joining the team.
How is your physical therapist involved?
A physical therapist on the Confluence Running staff contributes to ongoing employee education. This helps staff better understand anatomy, clinical terminology, footwear considerations, professional boundaries, and when a customer should return to a licensed healthcare provider. The PT's involvement does not turn a retail fitting into medical care.
Does Confluence Running diagnose injuries or provide treatment?
No. Confluence Running provides retail footwear, insoles, fitting services, and product education. Diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and changes to a plan of care remain with the patient's licensed healthcare providers.
How do I become a clinical partner?
Email Kaylee Stone at kaylee@confluencerunning.com. Let her know your organization, professional role, closest Confluence Running location, and whether you are interested in referral materials, a Lunch & Learn, a store visit, or general partnership information.
Can Confluence Running present at our office?
Yes. In-person and virtual Lunch & Learns may be available based on your location, audience, preferred topics, and scheduling needs. Email Kaylee to discuss the best format.
How should I refer a patient or client?
You can direct them to the most convenient Confluence Running location and provide any footwear considerations you would like them to discuss. Patients should not send medical records or protected health information through this webpage or by ordinary email.
Can patients use medical insurance at Confluence Running?
Confluence Running is a retail specialty store and does not bill medical insurance. Customers purchase footwear and related products directly from the store.
Contact our team
Let’s build a useful partnership for your patients and staff.
Contact Kaylee with questions about becoming a partner, referrals, Lunch & Learns, staff education, store visits, or clinical-partnership resources.
Follow the Journey
