Sports and Biomechanics
/Biomechanics is the study of the movement of living things. It describes the way that the body moves and the forces that are placed upon the various parts of the body; especially the bones, muscles, and tendons. The feet are our contact to the ground, and as such are required to cushion the force of the body through each step we take. At Pivotal Motion Podiatry, we target our attention to the lower half of the body, and assess deficiencies and possible causes of pain, injury, and restriction to optimal function.
When we perform a biomechanic assessment at Pivotal Motion Podiatry, we are aware that the body works as a whole, not just as an individual body part. As such, what happens at the feet can affect the ankle, or the knee, or the hip.
A biomechanic assessment will look at the lower limb as a whole, and assess the joints, muscles, and structure of the feet, legs, and hip.
Your gait, or the way that you walk, is examined for tell-tale signs of overuse, incorrect positioning, and abnormal force distribution.
Once the problem is identified, we at Pivotal Motion Podiatry can then implement correction strategies, usually in the form of acute treatment, stretching and strengthening, footwear modification and advice, or orthotic therapy.
Some of the many conditions that a podiatrist can treat through biomechanic assessment and intervention include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Hip and lower back pain
- Knee pain
- Shin splints
- Calf pain
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Forefoot pain
- Heel pain
- Leg length differences
- Diabetic feet
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Tibialis posterior dysfunction
- Severs disease
- In-Toe Walking
- Tip-Toe Walking
- Pronated/ ‘rolling in’ foot posture
- Supinated/ ‘rolling out’ foot posture
- Clawing toes
