How Can a Podiatrist Help a Golfers Feet?
In Point Cook, we get many patients who frequent Sanctuary Lakes Golf Course. As such it is imortant for our Point Cook Podiatrists to understand Golf and the associated foot problems. Golf is a sport that can require both high amount of forces and forces that can be sustained for a long period of time. The reasons for injuries to the golfers foot are generally broken down into the golf swing; which requires unusual and uneven mechanics through the foot and ankle and the walking between swings which can be upwards of 10,000 – 15,000 steps over a number of hours.
The Golf swing is a unique motion from the foot and ankle perspective and when considering injuries to the golfers foot it must be considered an important part of the assessment. During the golf swing, the feet always face in the same direction with force travelling repetitively in the same, unique way. As this is completely different from any other foot and ankle motion, it must be considered in the treating of foot and ankle pain and may help guide what may or may not be tolerated as blocking up some of these motions can affect the performance of the golfer.
Walking between holes or swings is often where patients that golf regularly may not feel the symptoms, but it may be the accumulative affect of this activity that may be the reason for the pain not subsiding in normal amounts of time.
Common treatments at TFC Podiatry for golfers include, footwear modification, biomechanical corrections, dry needling and prescription of home excercise plans to improve stregnth and flexibility where required.
