Do you have pain or tiredness in your feet, ankles, knees, hips or back?
Do you have recurring injuries or pain after exercise?
Or maybe you've been told your pelvis is 'out of alignment'?...
Biomechanics is about your skeletal structure, movement patterns and forces that go through your body, and how they affect your comfort, health and performance.
Good alignment and a balanced body is essential for moving well now and in the long-run. Problems arising from your biomechanics often develop gradually or persist over many years despite treatment.
If you're serious about your body I definitely recommend a biomechanics assessment!
First a little background... despite already being a physio for a number of years, in 2010 I started getting Iliotibial band issues in my right knee which prevented me from running and sometimes was bad enough to make going down stairs difficult. Bit by bit I tried everything. Icing, strengthening, stretching. I looked at my training program and my shoes. I did regular treatment on myself. I even ended up going to see various clinicians locally but I had already done everything myself. Eventually, in 2016 I came to the only conclusion I thought was left: that something structural (ie skeletal) must be influencing how my body works and moves... READ MORE >
I decided to go and see the country's leading expert on this in the midlands... Clifton Bradeley, who incidentally had run sub 4 for the mile in his running career and had himself become a biomechanic podiatrist following his own troubles with injury. The assessment was incredible. We had learned nothing about this in the physio degree. It was determined that my left leg is about 5mm longer than my right, and that I have an associated pelvic torsion which affected my gait and muscle function around the pelvis, and which disappeared when my short leg was raised. This combined with flat feet was not a good situation for my knees - sitting half way between the two problems! I walked out with custom insoles and a new aim - I had to learn about this and be able to offer it too.
In the first couple of days I remember my right foot arch feeling very sore indeed - it wasn't used to this new position - but after a few weeks it felt strange to NOT have the insoles in. My body felt so much better balanced and finally my exercises and self-treatment started having an impact and I was able to resume running again. This time round running felt different. Better aligned, stronger and more fluid with far less fatigue in the feet and lower legs after workouts.
Thank to biomechanics I ran better at the age of 40 than I ever ran before, setting the fastest time of the day for leg 13 in the South Downs Way relay that year - competing against athletes far younger. (You can read my race report here)
This is how the journey began. I spent a few days the following year shadowing Clifton and spent time in the orthotics lab learning exactly what could be done with custom orthotics. I invested in the kit and started what is now available to you today: biomechanics.
8 benefits of a biomechanics assessment
Injury Prevention
A biomechanics assessment can identify movement patterns that may lead to injuries, allowing for corrective measures to be taken before injuries occur.
Improved Performance
By analyzing your biomechanics, you can optimize your movement efficiency, which can enhance athletic performance in sports and physical activities.
Posture Correction
The assessment can reveal postural imbalances and misalignments, helping you to correct them and reduce strain on muscles and joints.
Customized Exercise Programs
Based on the assessment results, professionals can design personalized exercise programs that target specific weaknesses or imbalances in your body.
Pain Reduction
By identifying and correcting biomechanical issues, you may experience a reduction in chronic pain, particularly in the back, hips, knees, and feet.
Informed Footwear Choices
The assessment can provide insights into the best types of footwear for your specific gait and foot structure, which can enhance comfort and performance.
Increased Awareness
A biomechanics assessment can increase your awareness of your body mechanics, helping you to make conscious adjustments in your daily activities and exercise routines.
Long-term Health Benefits
By addressing biomechanical issues early on, you can promote long-term musculoskeletal health, potentially reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions related to poor biomechanics.
What you get
This is computerised assessment of your footprint in standing and walking. It reveals the pressure and forces that your feet experience as you stand and move.
Objective measurements of inclination on each side of your pelvis in standing. With this we can see if there is any torsion (ie left and right figures not being equal) and see how it changes when we compensate for leg length inequality. We are aiming for both sides of the pelvis to be equal and ideally forwards about 8-10 degrees.
I look at the full body and not just the feet. This is done barefoot to ensure we see how your body naturally interacts with the ground.
I take the time to assess manually anything which has stood out in the rest of the assessment as well as screening for various things such as foot type and ankle restrictions etc.
Based on what the assessment reveals I can give advice on footwear, training, insoles, therapeutic exercises and treatment options and referrals if needed.
Knowledge is key, and once you know what is restricted or not working as it should, therapeutic exercises can be used to help improve things, or counteract the impact of other factors such as leg length or foot type.
Custom orthotics can often provide significant benefits after a biomechanics assessment by addressing individual foot and gait issues. They offer tailored support to correct leg length inequality, alleviate discomfort from flat feet, and improve foot alignment. By improving weight distribution, custom orthotics can reduce strain on joints and muscles and can enhance stability and balance. They can also lower the risk of injuries by promoting proper biomechanics during movement, which can also boost athletic performance and improve function in daily activities. With the right orthotic intervention, individuals can experience pain relief, improved mobility, and a better quality of life.
- The insoles I provide:
- Are made with carbon fibre (£340) or polypropylene (£250) shells which don't compress or change shape
- Are handmade in a lab that make orthotics for many elite athletes
- Can be transferred from shoe to shoe
- Can be re-covered when needed
Having a record of your function is helpful for monitoring longer term changes.
What kinds of things can be uncovered?
During a biomechanics assessment, several issues may be identified that can significantly impact your movement and comfort. For instance, leg length inequality can be anatomical or functional, leading to altered gait mechanics and discomfort. Similarly, flat feet can affect tendons, joint alignments, balance, push-off mechanics and potentially cause pain in the feet, knees, and hips. Other conditions, such as knee valgus (knock knees) and pelvic torsion, can also be uncovered, each contributing to unique challenges in movement and stability. I also screen for factors such as foot types, achilles and calf restrictions and more.
Book now / Enquire
