Biomechanics
Podiatric Biomechanics
Podiatrists assess, diagnose and treat all lower limb and foot ailments, with this in mind, the pinnacle and fundamental subject of consideration is the podiatric biomechanics of each individual. Podiatric biomechanics can be understood as the study of the way the lower limb and foot moves, inclusive of the muscles and soft tissues as well as the anatomical structure and movement of the bones and joints. Podiatrist perform gait analysis on patients,this is a highly skilled clinical tool to aid the understanding of mechanism of why injuries occur and why tissues get stressed within the musculoskeletal system. Podiatrist will prescribe to patients when needed: stretching exercises, lifestyle changes, functional foot orthoses, and specialist footwear advice to enable the rehabilitation of patients? symptoms.
In clinical practice podiatrists are autonomous practitioners. Central to patient care is the ability to work closely with other health care professionals including: physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgeons, orthotists, General Practitioners etc. to deliver a multidisciplinary team approach. The undergraduate program brings a new exciting modern approach to the learning of theories and concepts in lower limb biomechanics and offers an evidence based approach to intervention for patient care.
Did you know:
A small abnormality in foot function can have a large impact on joints
higher up in the body, causing pain and discomfort to your knees, hips
and lower back.
When you are running, the pressure on your feet can be three or four
times your body weight. Even walking can produce more pressure than
the sum of your body weight.
The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day? That adds up to
about 115,000 miles in a lifetime or more than four times around the
world. That is a lot of walking with ill-fitting shoes or painful feet!!
In some cases foot ailments can be an early signal of more serious
medical problems like arthritis or diabetes.
Women have four times as many foot problems as men because they have a
long history of wearing high heels and/or pointy toe shoes.
Many of the problems associated with foot mechanics can be easily
fixed with insoles.
However it is important that the insoles which you buy are suitable
for YOUR FEET.
- This is because your feet are as individual as you.
- They deserve the level of individual care that TOGS insoles can offer.
Runners, Your Shoes Make a Difference
They may not make you run faster or jump higher. Yet the material in the running shoe you wear does seem to make a difference. This study tested different shoes to shed some light on the mechanics of running.
When you run, your foot hits the ground with high impact. This study helps prove that the muscles of the leg adjust to this impact through a process called muscle tuning. Muscle tuning lessens the effects of impact on the tissues of the leg.
The midsole of running shoes also helps lessen the effects of impact. These researchers tested two different midsoles on six different runners. They found major differences in the muscle tuning between different shoes. And muscle tuning was significantly different between individual runners. Some runners did better with a hard midsole, while others benefitted from a softer one.
A better understanding of how our legs work when we run may help researchers find ways to treat or prevent conditions caused by the wear and tear of impact on the body. And who knows, maybe it will spur shoe companies to develop a "super shoe" that really makes us run faster.
James M. Wakeling, et al. Altering Muscle Activity in the Lower Extremities by Running with Different Shoes. In Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. September 2002. Vol. 34. No. 9. Pp. 1529-1532.
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