Call our friendly podiatrists today on (08) 9586 3046
Call our friendly podiatrists today on (08) 9586 3046

Sports Injury Treatment

“A human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art”
Leonardo Da Vinci

Podiatric treatment is recommended for all athletes for the prevention and treatment of sports-related injuries. During running, we can place up to 3-4 times our body’s weight on our feet. Hence, it is easy to injure your feet while playing sport as the forces between your feet and the ground are amplified during high impact activity. A structurally sound foot is a good foundation to running and posture. When we run, our arches must raise to form a strong lever to propel us forward. Your individual biomechanics will have an effect on the likelihood of certain injuries. If you are flatfooted, or your feet are rolled in excessively, the muscles in the lower limb will compensate resulting in potential long-term injuries such as shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, ankle injuries, patellofemoral syndrome or runner knee, stress fracture, etc. Conversely, if you have a high arch, you are more prone to sprain ankle, poor shock absorption, and peroneal tendonitis.

Other common and debilitating problems amongst athletes are corns, calluses, and nail injuries. The formation of corns and calluses (from running and friction) reduces the skin’s elasticity. The excessive build-up of corns and calluses will cause pain and increase the likelihood of potential game ending blisters. Sports people may also complain of thickened nails that can sometimes become ingrown or get bruises under the nail from repetitive trauma. At Peel Podiatry, we recommend our sports people to get their calluses and corns routinely reduced by a podiatrist. The same applies to people who suffer with bruised or ingrown toenails.

The key to good running is to have the foot in a neutral position in the athlete’s stride i.e. neither turning in or out. Biomechanical variants can be corrected by orthotics and footwear. Pending on your foot type and sports, our podiatrists will thoroughly assess and recommend the best form of orthoses and/or shoes to improve your performance. In most instances, orthotics and appropriate shoes alone is sufficient to treat and prevent injuries of the foot and legs. However, in some cases, we also recommend shockwave therapy to enhance the healing process (please see our shockwave page for more information).

Get in touch with us to discuss further