Sports Podiatrist Auckland | Benefits

Sports podiatrists understand that if you play or participate in sports, whether it’s casually on the weekend with friends, at the gym, or professionally, your body is placed under unique and significant strain that you wouldn’t otherwise experience. While it’s one thing to know what these demands are, it’s a different skillset to have a comprehensive understanding of the compensatory effects that an injury to the feet or legs will have on your sports performance (and your movement in daily life), as well as your risk of a secondary injury directly related to your chosen sport and activity levels and the precise technique adjustments you need to support your recovery. This is the very start of what a sports podiatrist can help you with.  Sports podiatry is one speciality of podiatry care, much like the speciality of ingrown toenail treatment or children’s podiatry that we offer, where your podiatrist has extensive experience and training in sports medicine so they can add even more skill, insight and value to your appointment for a sports-related injury or problem. While they’re also skilled and qualified in all of the standard podiatry treatments and practices, sports medicine is a strong passion and area of interest.    

Trusted By Over 10,000 Residents in Remuera & Across Auckland

At our sports medicine podiatry clinic in Remuera, we work with everyone from professional athletes to those just gently easing into a fitness journey for the first time. We understand that working with a sports podiatrist is not just about being able to participate in sports again, but that for many people, sports and regular exercise are a foundation for long-term wellness, disease prevention, a person’s strength and confidence – and more. This is why we take this field very seriously, and are proud to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based and exceptional care. We treat everything from shin or knee pain to plantar fasciitis heel pain, muscle strains and sprains stress fractures and more.  

Your Sports Podiatrist Can Help You Return To Exercise Safely

One way that a sports podiatrist can benefit men and women at any physical fitness level is when they decide to get back into exercising after a break. It doesn’t matter how long the break is or the reason behind it – it may be after pregnancy and the postpartum period, after surgery and your recovery, a period of sickness, a vacation – for many it’s just when they stop exercising because life gets too busy. Either way, pushing yourself too hard when you return to exercise or presuming your body is still in your pre-break state is one of the leading causes of pain and injury we see – as well as the cause of one-third of injuries at the gym. 

• Studies show that cardiovascular fitness can drop noticeably within just two weeks of inactivity, which means the heart has to work harder to get enough blood to your muscles. Unfortunately, people are more likely to lose their cardio fitness more quickly if they’re already athletic or a regular gym-goer. 
• Similarly, when it comes to muscle strength, muscle mass can decrease in as little as two weeks of rest.  
• For those that have contracted the COVID-19 virus, exercise has likely been out of the question, with experts recommending a minimum of “two weeks of self-isolation and rest from exercise, followed by a gradual return to exercise under the guidance of a medical team”. These experts go on to recommend that patients have a medical assessment and rehabilitation plan with specialists such as physiotherapists before they return to exercise at all. 

This is where your sports podiatrist can help you return to exercise safely by assessing your foot biomechanics, muscle strength and flexibility, completing a video gait analysis, and creating a tailored plan to reduce your injury risk and optimise your function.  

Your Sports Podiatrist Can Help Remove Your Painful Barriers To Exercise

Many of us may want to exercise, whether that’s starting or continuing our exercise journeys, but accidents, pains, our surgery history or conditions like chronic pain can make us think twice about committing to it – even if it’s just saying yes to a walk in the park with a friend. Even stages of life like pregnancy, work-related stress or postural stress can create barriers to exercise. 

• Up to 79% of runners experience an injury at some point, and these injuries typically involve the knees (up to 50%), feet (up to 39.3%) and lower back (up to 19.1%). 
• Injury can have a significant impact on future exercise, as up to 17% of athletes are found to fail to return to their sport following an injury 

This is where your sports podiatrist can help you make a smooth transition back into exercise – so you can both achieve your goals and reap the countless benefits of exercise. Engaging in regular exercise can also raise a person’s pain thresholds and pain tolerance, and reduce the number of regular pain flares that those with persistent pain experience.   

Your Sports Podiatrist Can Help Prevent Future Injuries 

While certain sports like cricket and football have high rates of sports-related injuries, all forms of exercise and sports carry a range of risks. Moreover, once you are injured, you may be more likely to have recurring problems or injuries if the underlying structures in your body are not effectively managed.  A sports podiatrist can carry out a comprehensive assessment to evaluate your physical function and identify any underlying concerns that may cause difficulty during exercise, including incorrect posture, muscle or joint weakness, balance, and more. From this evaluation, your podiatrist can provide you with exercises to prevent injury from occurring in your sports or leisure exercises, including stretching and strengthening exercises, manual therapies, and bracing to support existing injuries, and discuss how custom foot orthotics can help keep you supported and lower your injury risk.  

Book In With An Experienced Auckland Sports Podiatrist

While we welcome all referrals, you don’t need a referral to see one of our sports podiatrists. You can book an appointment with our trusted podiatry team here.