Whether training for a triathlon, staying trim for pre-season or just trying to keep in shape, start your summer on the right foot and boost performance with prescription orthotics.
In the last 20 years sport has undergone something of a revolution. The words “sport” and “science” seem to have been used together more and more frequently, and the boundaries of what are humanly possible (without the aid of performance enhancing drugs, we might add) have been pushed ever further. Whether it’s data analysis in sports such as cricket, football and rugby, Dave Brailsford’s belief in the aggregation of marginal gains in British Cycling or Mo Farah’s meticulous preparation methods, things are moving forward at an incredible rate.
At Physio4Life we provide world-class sports injury treatment, which is why we’ve been fortunate enough to work with professional sportsmen and women such as Wimbledon tennis champion Pat Cash, Ryder Cup golfer Oliver Wilson and four-time World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington. But while it’s obviously important that professional sports stars get the right medical assessment, treatment and equipment, we encourage all our clients to take care of their bodies in much the same way as elite athletes – especially when it comes to injury prevention. In this blog we’re focusing on where it all begins . . . the feet.
Have you been putting your foot in it?
Since the dawn of mankind we’ve been giving our feet a hard time. They take the brunt of impact every time we move and even take the strain when we’re just standing still. That’s why any imbalance or misalignment can cause problems throughout the rest of the body – from the ankles to knees and even the pelvis or lower back. While modern running shoes, cross trainers and football boots can go some way to alleviating muscle and ligament pain caused by exercise, they are only ever designed to deal with very general foot types – whether it’s overpronators, normal pronators or underpronators. And they will never provide the appropriate level of cushioning and support.
But with the help of custom-made insoles called orthotics Physio4Life can make your footwear work in harmony with your feet and ensure that the pressure being exerted through the foot is distributed correctly.
Many sports shops offer a quick gait analysis session to choose the right shoe or boot for customers, but these are often inaccurate systems performed by staff with very little training. We take around an hour to put our clients through a range of tests before taking mould of our client’s feet and having each bespoke insole created by TOG, the world leaders in orthotics. And these aren’t just any old insoles either – they are made from memory flex plastic, which doesn’t flatten out over time like cheap shop-bought insoles. Sound like a lot of effort for two pieces of plastic? Think how valuable every pain free step is when training for an event like the London Marathon – that’s 30,000 to 40,000 steps in one day.
Begin to make the right strides
The benefits of orthotics are extensive: improvements in the alignment and balance of an individual’s biomechanics and gait eases the stress on an individual’s joints, muscles and ligaments – problems which, if left alone, will only get worse through constant strain. Left untreated something like a knee or lower back problem can easily become a chronic issue and cause damage for life; treated in good time and both elite athletes and casual exercisers can enjoy activities more than ever, increase their ability to train and compete through shorter recovery periods, and even become able to transfer energy more efficiently. So, if you’ve been struggling with injuries that only get worse with exercise, prescription orthotics could be the answer for you.
As London’s leading independent sports injury clinic we combine outstanding expertise with a personal touch to get our clients fit and healthy. We’re more than happy to give advice and support to our clients and help them across all aspects of their fitness, health and wellbeing needs. So why not get in touch on 0208 704 5998 or book an appointment here.