How is your foot posture?
Recently we were lucky enough to spend an afternoon with our friends from Southern Sports Podiatry to share what we know. And this time we took more than we gave- we have learnt loads about assessing foot posture and alignment.
Do you know what your foot alignment is? Are you a supinator or a pronator? Are you stiff or floppy? Do you have nerve restriction or intrinsic muscle weakness?
There is loads of research on how best to test these postures, at Lifestyle we always look for the most functional. That means, we want to test you in weight bearing- upright. Here we can see what your foot looks like in and out of a shoe. Does your shoe increase these signs or reduce them? Do you need more support, or more freedom?
Can you see why choosing the “right” shoes is so difficult??
Our assessment often starts from the ground up (or hips down, depending on your physios preference). Here we look at the joints of your foot and ankle. We look for rolling in (or out) and for good maintenance of your arches. We look for tilting in your heel, or does your Achilles run perpendicular to the ground. Then for rotation. Is your foot straight, or is it turned more in or out than neutral.
All of this information combined will determine if your foot is restricted in its range of motion, and might need stretching exercises OR it is moving too much and needs more supportive footwear, taping or orthotics.
Do you have knee or even hip pain?
We still look at your feet! The old song “the hip bones connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bones connected to the shin bone…” rings true. We need to check the whole chain. We correct what we see (even if temporarily) and re assess your hip or knee. This allows us to create a treatment plan that is individualised and tailored to your body, and your goals.
Our long professional relationships with some of the best podiatrists in the Shire allows us confidence in referring patients on who we feel need further investigation, or custom made orthotics.
Want to discover your foot type or have ongoing niggles or concerns? We CAN help!