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 supports the diagnosis and treatment of foot, ankle, and lower limb conditions. Whether caused by injury, repetitive strain, or biomechanical issues, our approach focuses on addressing the underlying cause. Common conditions we treat include:
Plantar Fasciitis: Overuse, repeated impact, or faulty foot mechanics can lead to inflammation of the plantar fascia, a tissue band that runs along the foot’s underside, resulting in pain and discomfort.
Heel and Foot Pain: Persistent heel or foot pain often stems from intense physical activity, excessive strain, or improper foot mechanics.
Runner’s Knee: Discomfort around the kneecap can result from biomechanical imbalances, poor gait mechanics, or repeated stress on the knee joint.
Ankle Sprains: Ankle sprains occur when ligaments are overstretched or torn, often happening in sports that involve sudden direction changes or movement on uneven surfaces.
Stress Fractures: Stress fractures occur when repeated impact or excessive training places too much strain on the bones of the feet or lower legs, leading to small but painful cracks.
Achilles Tendonitis: Stiffness and pain in the Achilles tendon are common signs of inflammation, typically worsened by activity and repetitive strain.
Shin Splints: Shin splints cause pain along the shinbone, often triggered by overuse, improper footwear, or frequent running on hard surfaces.
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
Passionate about evidence-based care, Foot and Leg Pain Centre offers treatments backed by clinical studies and up-to-date research to help you perform at your best—whether in sports or daily activities! Dr. Chard played a key role as a founding member of The University of Sydney's "Talent Identification of Elite Adolescent Athletes" research team.
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 you’re a practitioner looking to help your patients stay active, we’re here to support you. Our team provides evidence-based treatments for foot, ankle, and lower limb injuries, ensuring athletes and active individuals can continue performing at their best. From managing chronic pain to treating sports injuries and preventing future issues, we tailor our care using the latest research and techniques. We also offer evidence-based falls risk identification and risk profiling for ankle sprains and instability, along with structured rehabilitation programs.
Healthcare professionals are welcome to refer patients who could benefit from our specialised care. We take a collaborative approach, ensuring comprehensive treatment and seamless integration with Enhanced Primary Care Plan arrangements. Get in touch today to discuss how we can support your patients’ recovery and performance.
Foot And Leg Pain Centre
Your Sports Podiatry Questions Answered
If you’re unsure about your foot strike pattern or feel lost in the sea of running shoe options—from minimalist to maximalist to motion control—our skilled podiatrists can help. We provide evidence-based insights and minor technique refinements to enhance your performance and reduce injury risk.
Sports podiatry benefits individuals at all activity levels, from elite athletes to casual exercisers. It’s especially useful for those dealing with pain, injuries, or movement challenges during or after physical activity.
A proactive visit to a sports podiatrist can help identify risks and prevent injuries before they happen. If you’re struggling with persistent foot, ankle, lower limb, or lower back pain, or recurring discomfort during or after activity, professional assessment and treatment can make a difference.
Wearing the right footwear is essential for injury prevention and performance enhancement. Our podiatrists offer personalised guidance to help you choose the best shoes for your sport, foot type, and biomechanics.
Sports podiatrists utilise evidence-based techniques such as biomechanical assessments, gait analysis, running form coaching, orthotics, footwear recommendations, strength training, taping, dry needling, and shockwave therapy. Each treatment plan is individually designed to support the patient’s activity level and recovery goals.
While general podiatry covers overall foot health, including nail and skin conditions, sports podiatry specialises in early assessment and treatment to resolve symptoms quickly, allowing you to return to your sport as soon as possible. It takes a performance-driven approach, focusing on injury recovery, movement optimisation, and injury prevention for athletes and active individuals.
The time needed for recovery varies based on the injury type and severity. We often provide immediate offloading techniques during consultations, helping you stay active without missing training or games. Your podiatrist will design a customised treatment plan to support your rehabilitation and safe return to sport.
Helping You Stay on Your Feet – Foot and Leg Pain Centre
Healthy feet are key to staying active and performing at your best. Our sports podiatry services assess, manage, and prevent foot and lower limb issues related to physical activity. With evidence-based care, we focus on recovery, improving movement, and minimising injury risks to help you stay at peak performance.
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. Book your appointment with us today and start your journey to pain-free movement.