KEY TAKEAWAYS
Sports podiatry treats foot, ankle and lower limb injuries from exercise. It finds the cause of your pain, not just the symptom. You do not need to be an athlete to benefit.
Foot pain can stop your training in its tracks. One week you are hitting personal bests. The next week, every step hurts. Because your feet absorb huge forces during sport, small problems can quickly become big ones. This is where a sports podiatrist comes in. In this guide, we explain what sports podiatry involves, the injuries it treats, and how it can help you move better and recover faster.
What is sports podiatry?
Sports podiatry is a branch of podiatry that focuses on the foot, ankle and lower limb during exercise. In other words, it looks at how your body moves when you run, jump, kick and change direction. A general podiatrist treats a wide range of foot problems. A sports podiatrist, however, has extra focus on injuries caused by training, competition and repetitive load.
Above all, sports podiatry aims to do two things. First, it treats the injury in front of you. Second, it finds the reason the injury happened, so it does not come back.
What Does a Sports Podiatrist Do?
A sports podiatrist starts with a detailed assessment. This usually includes your injury history, your training load and your footwear. After that, they assess how your body moves.
- Biomechanical assessment: checks joint range, muscle strength and alignment in your feet, ankles, knees and hips.
- Gait analysis: watches how you walk and run, often on a treadmill, to spot movement patterns that overload certain tissues.
- Footwear review: checks whether your runners, boots or court shoes suit your foot type and your sport.
- Treatment plan: may include strength exercises, load management, taping, dry needling or custom orthotics.
As a result, you get a plan built around your sport, your goals and your body. It is not a one size fits all approach.
Common Injuries a Sports Podiatrist Treats
Sports podiatrists treat a wide range of lower limb injuries. Here are the most common ones we see in the clinic.
Shin splints
Shin splints cause pain along the inside of your shin bone. They are common in runners who increase their training too quickly. For more detail, read our guide on how to avoid shin splints when running.
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
Heel pain is one of the most common reasons people see a podiatrist. It often feels worst with your first steps in the morning. Fortunately, most cases respond well to strength work and load changes. Our article on plantar fasciitis exercises
Ankle sprains
Rolled ankles are common in netball, basketball, football and trail running. However, many people return to sport too soon. Poor rehab is the main reason sprains keep happening. A sports podiatrist guides your recovery step by step.
Achilles pain and stress injuries
Achilles tendon pain, forefoot pain and stress reactions all respond to the same core approach. In short, we reduce the load, build strength, then return you to sport gradually.
How Sports Podiatry Helps You Perform Better
Sports podiatry is not only about injuries. It also helps you get more out of your training. For example, better footwear choices can improve comfort over long distances. Similarly, strength programs for your feet and calves can improve push off power. Custom orthotics can also reduce strain on overworked tissues, which helps you train more consistently.
Consistency is the real key to performance. Therefore, anything that keeps you training without pain will help you improve. Learn more about custom orthotics and how they support your sport.
Book your sports podiatry assessment
Find the cause of your pain, not just the symptoms
Do You Need to Be an Athlete to See a Sports Podiatrist?
Not at all. Weekend runners, gym goers, netball parents and kids in junior sport all benefit from sports podiatry. In fact, new exercisers often need it most. Their bodies have not yet adapted to the load of regular training. Because of this, they pick up overuse injuries more easily than seasoned athletes.
Peak bodies such as Sports Medicine Australia also recommend early assessment for lower limb pain. Early treatment almost always means a faster recovery.
When Should You Book an Appointment?
So, when is the right time to see a sports podiatrist? Book an assessment if any of these sound familiar.
- Pain during or after exercise that keeps returning
- Heel, arch, shin or ankle pain that has lasted more than two weeks
- A past injury that flares up when you increase training
- You are starting a new sport or training for an event
- Your shoes wear out unevenly or never feel right
So, when is the right time to see a sports podiatrist? Book an assessment if any of these sound familiar.
Sports Podiatry at Sole-Lution Podiatry
Our team helps runners, team sport players and everyday exercisers across Petersham and the Inner West. First, we find the cause of your pain. Then, we build a clear plan to get you back to the sport you love. Ready to move without pain?