What is Biomechanics and how could it help you?

So you are struggling with either a painful foot, painful knees, painful hips or lower back pain? You can’t see anything visibly wrong, but the pain is starting to have an impact on your life. You can’t walk as far as you used to, you get out of bed and experience foot pain immediately, you are unable to run the distances you used to, or repetitive injuries are meaning you cannot participate in team sports. Did you know a podiatrist may be able to help?

Biomechanics is the science of how we move, how our muscles, bones and joints combine to provide human motion. Understandably this is a complex process and as such is fraught with the potential to go wrong.
Podiatric Biomechanics is a specialist area which diagnoses how problems with movement in the feet can adversely affect our motion. This knowledge is useful to treat problems which predominantly involve the legs, knees and feet. Conditions regularly treated include joint pains, recurrent sprains, sports injuries, knee pain, recurrent corns / callus, flat feet, bunions, gait (walking) problems, and persistent aches and pains.
In order to avoid injuries, it is important to be able to move efficiently. The joints must be capable of providing enough movement and the muscles capable of producing sufficient force to generate an efficient gait cycle (way of moving on foot). If the joints become stiff (often caused by muscle tightness) this will limit the range of motion. Likewise, if the muscles are weak, the body will find a way to compensate and this is when biomechanical abnormalities begin to show.

At The Foot Room we have a team of Podiatric Biomechanics Specialists who are experienced in assessing, diagnosing and treating conditions that arise from biomechanical problems. Treatments vary, but often involve stretches and/or exercises, footwear advice and use of an in-shoe device to control the foot position. The type varies from person to person, however in most cases an orthotic device (arch support) is customised to the patient’s individual needs.

The Foot Room also has some of the latest technology including the Podosmart gait analysis system and the use of video analysis on a treadmill. Don’t wait in pain…book an appointment 01772 378812