SPORTS PODIATRY
Whether you’re a casual runner or a competitive athlete, running puts a lot of strain on your feet. A force of up to six times your body weight is put through each foot while running which can cause injury.
If your goal is to be able to move pain free or if running is a part of your sport, if you run for fun, run to race or race to win, Mullins Podiatry can help you. At Mullins Podiatry we look at not just the foot but the movements involved with the sports you are playing.
A complete treatment approach to sports injuries incorporates a range of the latest healing and management techniques to assist in the successful and timely cure of any leg or foot complaint. This ensures minimal time away from your chosen activity or sport, with an emphasis on active solutions and prehabilitation of any pathology. Wherever possible, sports medicine and sports podiatry principles are implemented.
Our podiatrists will assess your condition, taking into account a complete history of contributing factors. If necessary, short-term management will focus on eliminating pain and may require imaging techniques, and/or strapping, padding and footwear alterations.
Conditions we treat may include but are not limited to:
- Heel pain (plantar fasciitis)
- Achilles tendonitis
- Sprained ankles
- Flat feet or high arched feet
- Fractures
- Shin splints
- Knee pain
If the way your body moves is thought to be contributing to your pain, we will perform a biomechanical assessment.
This five stage biomechanical and kinematic assessment will be performed as follows:
1. A thorough history is taken which examines the background to your pathology. This history will take into account your lifestyle and how it may be contributing to your presenting condition.
2. Non weight bearing range of motion measurements. This is where we evaluate your anatomy. This is looking at your range of movements, ability to hold static and plyometric movements. It is a passive/active physical assessment measuring any structural or functional pathology contributing to pain and/or compensation.
3. Weight bearing assessment of ability to hold a range of positions. This shows us your ability to hold a position based on what we have measured
4. Gait analysis. This may involve dartfish analysis on a treadmill, through to real-time analysis where the podiatrist will run/walk with you to instigate fatigue or assess form
5. Footwear and activity assessment.
Upon completion of these examinations, a treatment plan will be prescribed. This may involve all or any part of the following treatments: Orthotic therapy, advice on running shoes, casual or particular sporting footwear, stretching regimes, strapping or muscular strengthening, as well as acute injury treatment or modification of training programs.
Orthotics
Orthotics are customised devices that sit underneath the foot and inside the shoe to correct the way in which the foot moves. Orthotic devices are used to control foot mechanics and encourage optimal lower limb alignment, and to assist in alleviating the pain caused by abnormal foot and lower limb alignment which leads to tissue stress.
At Mullins Podiatry we recognise the need for your prescription orthotics to be based on a practitioner / patient collaboration and to be individually tailored for your specific sport, activity or lifestyle choice. Your prescription may include real time analysis post prescription and will involve extensive follow up.