Role Of Footware In Lower Limb Injury

The shoes we wear are more than just a means to keep our feet warm, and protected. They are a very important facet of the management of lower limb injuries especially our sports shoes. Unfortunately it is all too common that the shoes we run in become a catalyst for sustaining injuries – often they are too small, worn out or not even the right style for your feet. Don’t get fooled into buying a pair of shoes just because your training partner wears them or that an ill informed staff member at the shoe shop sells you on the colour.

I am reminded of a particular client of mine whose friend wears the Brooks Addiction running shoe, a perfect shoe for the friend as her degree of pronation warrants having such a strong anti pronatory shoe. My client has the opposite foot type - she doesn’t ‘roll in’ enough (supinated) and therefore requires the opposite to the Brooks Addiction. For some reason unbeknown to her, the Shop assistant decided the Brooks Addiction was perfect, she was given the big sales pitch and so bought the shoe. Three weeks later this lady came to my clinic complaining of terrible problems with her feet and legs – this happened to be only 2 months prior to her competing in Ironman 2004, not an ideal time to get an injury. With the right treatment, advice and direction to an informed sports shoe shop this lady was again happily running and completed Ironman 2004 trouble free.

Most athletes are fairly educated when it comes to footwear so when purchasing shoes go with your own knowledge and experience, as well as advice from reliable sources and when buying shoes go to a reputable shoe shop, particularly one that has a concise range covering all levels of features and prices. Get to know the staff members and they will know your foot type – future purchases will be more successful. The staff at such stores also know when a customer has an injury or gait irregularity more serious than that which can be managed with footwear alone and will refer such cases on to a podiatrist.

Upon seeing a podiatrist the client will be asked to bring their existing shoes. All too often someone will come to me after training for some weeks for an event such as a half marathon or similar, wearing their old faithful shoes and having developed a serious lower limb injury, potentially preventing them from competing in the targeted event. Each case is considered on its own merits, but there is definitely a pattern to the injury development and an old pair of running shoes does more than just emit a pungent odour (BTW, don’t be shy about smelly shoes, a Podiatrist has always smelt worse) they offer great clues as to why an injury is occurring and what direction the treatment should take. Like a forensic scientist a Podiatrist can study the outsole, the sock liner, the heel counter, the upper, and the function of the shoe in gait to piece the puzzle together.

The Podiatrist will also perform a thorough biomechanical and gait examination as well as a detailed history of the injury and athlete background. A diagnosis and management plan will be constructed. Injury management may involve things such as; a shoe change/modification, exercises/physical therapy, orthotics or further specialist referral, whatever the injury management the necessary steps will ensue.

In some cases ACC will partially subsidise costs of the consultations. Medical insurance may have a clause for covering Podiatric consultations, or if you are at a level high enough for New Zealand Academy of Sport accreditation then your consultation costs will be covered in full.

At Foot Traffic Sports and General Podiatry we see footwear as a crucial part of the treatment regime. I have a favourite analogy regarding shoes – You can have the perfect engine (your own body) the perfect chassis (your feet and orthotics) but if the tyres on the car (your running shoes) are of a poor quality or not designed for that type of driving then the performance will be compromised and problems will occur (injury). A further note – off road car tyres are designed for driving off road, not on road. Therefore, your off road running shoes should not see the pavement at all!

You do not need to have a referral to come to Foot Traffic, you are more than welcome to visit us for advice prior to buying your shoes. An appointment with Foot Traffic can be made by calling 09 5215577, or emailing info@foottraffic.co.nz . For further information also visit www.foottraffic.co.nz. Clients of endurancecoach.com will qualify for a discount on their initial consultation.