What is Sports Podiatry?
Sports podiatry is a focused field of podiatry dedicated to diagnosing and treating foot and lower limb conditions caused by sports and exercise. By understanding the demands different activities place on the body, our sports podiatrists provide targeted treatments to relieve pain and promote quick recovery. We go beyond symptom relief to address underlying biomechanical concerns, helping to prevent future injuries. Whether you’re a professional competitor or simply enjoy an active lifestyle, our advanced treatment methods support your recovery and optimise your performance.
What Conditions Does Sports Podiatry Treat?
Sports podiatry can help manage a variety of conditions affecting the feet, ankles, and lower limbs. Whether your concerns stem from injury, overuse, or biomechanical imbalances, our goal is to identify and treat the root cause. Our podiatrists frequently treat conditions such as:
Plantar Fasciitis: Irritation and inflammation of the plantar fascia, often triggered by repetitive strain, excessive use, or poor foot alignment, can cause significant foot pain.
Heel and Foot Pain: High-impact movements, extended activity levels, or biomechanical misalignments can contribute to discomfort and pain in the heel or foot.
Runner’s Knee: Pain around the kneecap is often caused by improper gait patterns or excessive stress on the knee joint, leading to discomfort and reduced mobility.
Ankle Sprains: A sprained ankle results from ligament stretching or tearing, commonly seen in sports requiring quick pivots, sudden stops, or navigating uneven terrain.
Stress Fractures: Repetitive strain or overtraining can lead to stress fractures—tiny cracks in the bones of the feet or lower legs that cause pain and discomfort.
Achilles Tendonitis: Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can result in stiffness and discomfort, particularly when walking, running, or engaging in physical activity.
Shin Splints: Pain along the shinbone, commonly known as shin splints, is typically caused by excessive running, poor footwear choices, or overuse.
Turf Toe: Discomfort in the big toe joint is commonly caused by joint sprains, trauma, or arthritis, leading to stiffness and pain during movement.
Why Foot and Leg Pain Centre?
Qualified Sports Podiatrist
A Certified Sports Podiatrist with a PhD, Dr Angus Chard is also a Fellow of Sports Exercise Podiatry Australia (FSEPA). With more than 30 years of clinical experience and an Honorary Associate role at The University of Sydney, he stands out as a highly regarded authority in Sports Podiatry.
Evidence Based Approach
At Foot and Leg Pain Centre, our treatments are grounded in science, drawing on extensive clinical research to help you recover and excel in both sport and daily life. Dr. Chard was a founding member of The University of Sydney's "Talent Identification of Elite Adolescent Athletes" project, demonstrating his dedication to advancing sports performance research.
Experienced Team
Our team isn’t just made up of experienced podiatrists—they’re also athletes who understand firsthand how foot and leg pain affects performance. With this insight, they are dedicated to providing fast and effective relief while helping you recover and stay active.
A Note for Referrals
If your goal as a practitioner is to help patients stay active, we can assist. Our team specialises in evidence-based treatments for foot, ankle, and lower limb injuries, focusing on keeping athletes and active individuals performing at their best. From injury recovery to chronic pain management and injury prevention, our treatments are backed by the latest research. Additionally, we offer falls risk identification, ankle sprain and instability risk profiling, and targeted rehabilitation programs.
If you’re a healthcare professional seeking a trusted partner for your patients’ foot and lower limb care, we welcome your referrals. Our team provides collaborative, evidence-based treatment and works within Enhanced Primary Care Plan arrangements. Contact us today to discuss how we can contribute to your patients’ recovery and performance.
Foot And Leg Pain Centre
Your Sports Podiatry Questions Answered
Whether you land on your forefoot, midfoot, or rearfoot, or feel overwhelmed by footwear choices like minimalist, maximalist, or motion control running shoes, our experienced podiatrists can guide you. We’ll discuss the latest evidence and make minor adjustments to your running technique to help optimise your performance.
Sports podiatry caters to individuals of all fitness levels, from high-performance athletes to everyday exercisers. If pain, injuries, or movement issues are affecting your activity, our expert care can help.
Seeing a sports podiatrist before an injury occurs can help identify evidence-based risk factors and implement proactive prevention strategies. If you’re dealing with persistent foot, ankle, lower limb, or lower back pain, recurring injuries, or discomfort during or after activity, it’s time to seek expert care.
Footwear choice is a crucial factor in injury prevention and sports performance. Our podiatrists provide expert guidance to help you find the ideal shoes for your foot type, biomechanics, and specific sporting activities.
A range of techniques is used by sports podiatrists to assess, treat, and prevent injuries. These include biomechanical evaluations, gait analysis, running technique refinement, custom orthotics, footwear advice, strength and conditioning, taping, dry needling, and shockwave therapy. The approach is tailored to each person’s specific needs.
General podiatry addresses overall foot health, including nail care and skin conditions, whereas sports podiatry is focused on early diagnosis and treatment to help you recover swiftly and get back to your sport. With a performance-based approach, it enhances movement, supports injury recovery, and reduces the risk of future issues.
Recovery is influenced by the type and extent of the injury, but we often implement strategies during your visit to keep you active. Your podiatrist will create a structured treatment plan to help you return to your sport as quickly and safely as possible.
Keep Moving with Foot and Leg Pain Centre
Strong, healthy feet are essential for maintaining an active lifestyle. Our sports podiatry team focuses on identifying, managing, and preventing foot and lower limb conditions related to physical activity. With an evidence-based approach, we help support recovery, improve movement, and minimise injury risks to keep you performing at your best.
Serving Dural, NSW, and its surrounding suburbs, the Foot and Leg Pain Centre regularly treats patients from Westmead, Richmond, Arcadia, Bella Vista, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Galston, Glenhaven, Hornsby, Kellyville, Northmead, Norwest, Rouse Hill, Westleigh, Kenthurst, Parramatta, Seven Hills and more. Get started on your recovery—book an appointment with us today.