Podiatric Sports Medicine

Sports podiatry is the management and prevention of sports-related foot conditions and injuries. If you’re an athlete and have sustained an injury or have a foot and ankle condition preventing you from performing at your best, podiatric assessment and treatment will get you back on track. Our experienced, capable practitioners are well-versed in diagnosing and treating sports-related foot injuries and conditions. Don’t fall behind—schedule an appointment at our office, and we’ll get you back on pace in no time.

When should you visit a foot care practitioner? 

Many biomechanical issues caused by overtraining, poor technique, muscle imbalances, weakness and strains often originate in your feet. Foot pain, discomfort or conditions can affect how you walk and carry yourself, which can cause muscle and tendon strain in your legs, knees, hips or back. So whatever sport you play, whatever level, the pain or discomfort preventing you from participating in sports you typically enjoy could stem from your feet. 

Some common sports-related injuries include:

Most minor injuries tend to resolve independently with patience and time. Home remedies, general preventative measures, and avoiding activities that can aggravate your injury are usually enough to help promote healing, improve mobility, and minimize pain and discomfort. However, if your issue persists or results from an underlying foot condition, consulting with a foot and ankle specialist for diagnosis and treatment could be the step you need. Visit a foot care practitioner for diagnosis and treatment if your foot injury exhibits:

  • Pain or swelling that worsens over time with no indication of improvement
  • Any numbness, tingling, or burning
  • Symptoms that don’t improve with home treatment
  • Symptoms that become more severe or more frequent
  • New foot or toe deformities

Also, make an appointment with a foot care practitioner if you have experienced a foot injury and have diabetes, are a senior, or are in another high-risk demographic. 

Don’t hesitate!

Foot injuries and conditions often worsen over time, so the earlier you seek treatment, the easier it is to optimize your future wellness and quality of life.

What to expect during your visit

During your appointment, your foot care practitioner will perform a comprehensive evaluation, diagnose new conditions, and offer treatment options to fix your injury and prevent more from developing. Here’s a quick overview of what you should expect during your visit:

Evaluation

Our evaluation process is straightforward and non-invasive, designed to quickly get to the root of the problem and develop optimal treatment options. During your visit, your evaluation may include:

  • A review of your past medical history and the history of your present illness or conditions
  • Comprehensive foot and lower limb inspection and physical assessment 
  • Biomechanical assessment and gait analysis: how you walk, stand and run, where your feet apply pressure, and how the energy generated from walking transfers through your body
  • Assessing your daily footwear and self-care habits
  • X-rays, vascular, dermatological or neurological exams and functional tests of all types depending on need

Treatment

After your foot care practitioner completes their assessment, they’ll explain their findings and the treatment options available to you. Your treatment plan will vary depending on your condition and the details of your specific case, but it could include:

  • Routine foot care: General cleaning and preventative maintenance; treatment of recurring conditions that could aggravate or promote further injury.
  • Orthotics: To increase cushioning, relieve foot pressure, and correct improper stance, positioning or movement. 
  • Stretches and muscle-strengthening exercises:  Accelerates healing, improves your body’s resistance to future injury and fixes muscle imbalances that may promote biomechanical stress.
  • Medication or topical solutions: For infections and concerns such as athlete’s foot
  • Cutting-edge therapies and techniques:  Reduce pain and inflammation and accelerate healing with radial shockwave therapy and Thermalase cold laser treatment.
  • Rehabilitative massage: Improve circulation, stimulate healing, and reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Foot care-related advice and education: Tips for proper footwear, hygiene, at-home, self-care practices, and movement techniques (according to the unique demands of the sport).
  • Surgery: If your injury is resistant to other treatments, your podiatrist may perform minor surgery to correct the issue. Surgery is always a last-resort measure. Except in rare circumstances, we’ll never recommend it unless all other options have failed.

Your treatment, your way

We aim to design practical, realistic, fast-acting treatment plans that are at most only a minor inconvenience and get you back to living healthy and pain-free as soon as possible. Through patient-doctor collaboration, we’ll work together to identify a proven, effective treatment plan that matches not only the needs of your condition but the needs of your specific situation and lifestyle.

For a more in-depth view of all the treatments we offer at our clinic, head to our Treatments and Devices page.

Plan Your Visit

Sustaining a show-stopping injury or having a condition slowing you down doesn’t mean that you’ve been sidelined for good. Our Ottawa-based clinic offers comprehensive care for all ages and the most modern, cutting-edge foot care techniques and treatments in the Capital Region. Together, we’ll find the best treatment plan to correct your foot injury, prevent recurrences, and get you back on your feet as a stronger, better and more informed athlete.

Whether you’re an Ottawa resident or just visiting, take a step in the right direction and book an appointment with Greenberg Podiatry.