Sports injuries are inevitable. Some of the common ones are bruises, sprains, and joint injuries. A fitness plan and adequate gear are necessary to avoid sports injury. Still, if you feel that things are not under your control, improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury with sports podiatry.
Who is a sports podiatrist?
A podiatrist is a foot doctor who specialises in problems related to foot, ankle and heels mainly. They study medicine and practice the latest foot pain treatmenttechniques to ensure that you are able to move efficiently.
Depending on their experience, there are general podiatrists, paediatric podiatrists, and sports podiatrists. If you are an athlete or someone who is involved in a lot of physically strenuous activities, then you can see a sports podiatrist to treat sports related injuries and conditions.
Their primary goalsare to make you efficient and flexible and to strengthen your lower extremities. Youneed to go to a certified podiatrist, for precise biomechanical assessment and for a tailored treatment plan.
How does a sports podiatrist treat foot problems?
The latest technologies and best treatments are requisite for an athlete to perform to their fullest potential. Sports podiatrists offer a combination of treatments and services to make sure that you are mobile or getting adequate rest when the body isn’t able to respond to strenuous activities.
Orthotic prescriptions for your foot positions
Athletes often face challenges in running, sprinting or jogging. The sprains and strains are not the culprits every time. Before seeking sore feet treatment, it is important to understand if something’s wrong with the foot position.
Gait analysis and a biomechanical assessment help a podiatrist determine how to reduce the load on muscles and improve efficiency. Orthotics can be recommended to equally spread the load acrossyour feet. These are custom devices, specially designed to support the feet and spread the load equally. The custom made insoles help in minimising injuries by specifically focusing on the underlying cause.
Footwear guidance
A lot goes into making a pair of running shoes. Athletic shoes are extremely expensive because of the design and high quality material. However, if the design is not suitable for your foot position, you may end up hurting yourself. Despite spending hundredsof dollars on expensive sports shoes, if you still find that your body is not moving efficiently, you must consult with a podiatrist.
A gait analysis enables your doctor to determine what is the underlying cause of inefficiency and how to improve it. It is recommended to bring your existing shoes with you to the appointment. Worn out shoes help us better understand the gait function. After an in-depth analysis of your gait function and the shoes that you are currently using, a podiatrist would suggest if you need to change the design of the shoes or add a custom orthotic todo the trick.
It is also recommended to book an appointment with a Kids Podiatrist, before buying expensive athletic shoes for your little one. Investing time in gait analysis before the training starts could make a world of difference to your kid’s performance standards.
Pain management therapies
Using the right footwear is key to improving efficiency, but what about the physical strain that you put on your body during training? Manual therapies are an excellent choice for athletes to correct any tightness or sprain in the muscles.
For optimum muscle function, it is advised that you should not ignore even the slightest discomfort. Continuing sports training while in pain should be avoided in all conditions. If you keep doing that, certain muscle groups start to function in the wrong way and injuries may become permanent.
The expert recommendations for manual therapies advise multiple sessions. Based on your injury history, a foot doctor would recommend what’s best for you: orthotics or pain management therapies.
Who needs to see a sports podiatrist?
Anyone who is physically active can find a lot of help and guidance from a sports podiatrist for improving efficiency. These doctors often provide specialised treatment choices to both track and field athletes.
If you are a runner or play football,, basketball or do anything that involves a lot of jumping and running, then ample support for your foot is a prerequisite. Alongside, analysing the foot positions, sports podiatrists also have experience in understanding the function of muscle groups.
Whether you are a recreational sports person or a professional athlete, a sports podiatrist would be of great help to overcome all those disappointing muscles and soft tissue injuries.
When should you see a sports podiatrist?
Cyclists, soccer players, runners or anyone who is playing sports on a regular basis should schedule an appointment for preventive care.
Performance plans given by your foot doctor are helpful to reduce the risk of injuries. Regular visits toyour sports podiatrist are beneficial to treat old injuries and diagnose any foot conditions. In addition to this, you can visit a foot doctor if you experience:
Heel spursPain in the ball of the footKnee painSpinal problemsPain in the hips and the back
Podiatrists treat a wide range of foot conditions. Even though you don’t have any foot injury, it is recommended to schedule a visit to decide on a performance plan which may include gait analysis, footwear guidance and custom orthotic prescriptions. From Children's Podiatry to sports podiatry, tailored treatment choices are available at Suncoast Podiatry Clinic. The family friendly foot and nail clinic has qualifiedpodiatrists and excels in the highest standards of care and treatment.
https://www.suncoastpodiatry.com.au/sports-podiatry/
