Biomechanical Gait Analysis
Sports injury, acute or chronic, can easily develop from poor biomechanics of the foot. Biomechanics is a broad area within Podiatry, which involves a detailed evaluation and analysis of how the joints of the limb and foot function in relation to each other. This requires sophisticated equipment and training to best understand human movement and to establish the primary cause of new or recurrent injuries.
Sport specific exercise and general walking are recorded on film for a detailed analysis of the biomechanics of the foot during the gait cycle. This information is used to either improve sporting performance and/or to address mechanical abnormalities by means of mechanical control, such as orthotics.
Further testing will investigate joint range of motion, muscle testing, and the ability of the athlete to discriminate between good and bad foot posture and function in normal gait and sport specific movement.
Footwear Assessment
The sporting shoe is the most technologically developed and advanced shoe. Within this style of footwear there is a large range of technical concepts utilised to improve sporting performance and meet the needs of individual foot types (e.g. Asics “gel”, Nike “air”).
Variation between people’s foot type, shape, posture, health and injuries makes it imperative for footwear to correlate with your particular foot and sporting needs.
We will provide you with specific recommendations which are assured to improve your sporting performance and comfort.
Orthotics
Orthotics are specialised insoles which are worn in shoes. Their purpose is to provide biomechanical efficiency by controlling foot function during weight-bearing, thus helping to prevent injury. Thorough assessment of your biomechanics with reference to your sporting activities will allow us to advise you of the best method of managing your feet and lower limb biomechanics.