Sports Podiatry
Specialised Podiatrist Care For Sports Injuries
As a podiatrist specialising in sports podiatry, Merivale sports foot experts are all about enabling and supporting you to enjoy the activities you love! Our ACC podiatrists will work with you to help you achieve your goals, support you to full mobility and function, and to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.
Part of this involves injury assessment and management. Your podiatrist/sports foot injury specialist will establish the mechanism of injury and what can be done to reduce your symptoms in the short term, as well as develop a long-term injury recovery and management plan. They’ll also examine your shoes and other equipment to ensure they’re not the source of a problem.
We often see patients coming in with:
- Ankle pain / ankle sprains
- Shin pain / shin splints
- Knee pain
- Generalised lower limb pain
- Heel pain
- Calf sprains
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Stress fractures
- And other sport related injuries
The other key part of Sports Podiatry is the prevention of future injuries. This is done through:
- Stretching and strengthening your lower limbs and feet
- Assessing your footwear to make sure it is supportive and fits you well
- Orthotic therapy
- Taking a patient-centred approach, working alongside your existing health network of preferred physiotherapists, osteopaths, GPs and other health professionals to ensure you are well supported in your recovery
- An appointment as soon as possible after the injury occurs followed with rehabilitation and regular check-ins
A few FAQs
Who do you work with?
Everyone! Some people wonder if Sports Podiatry is just for elite athletes, but it’s not! We love working with people of all ages and fitness levels to help them stay fit, healthy and on their feet. Whether you’re wanting to run your first 10km or your twentieth marathon, we’re here to help. We also work with children and teenagers.
What should I bring to my Sports Podiatry appointment?
Come with your shoes – both your sports shoes and other shoes you wear regularly (such as the shoes you wear to work). Your podiatrist can then assess all your commonly worn shoes to ensure they are supportive and fit you properly to avoid injuries.
Also, please wear comfortable and flexible clothing. Consider your sport and what you’d normally wear, and come to see us wearing that. We may ask you to jump, walk and/or run and we’d like you to feel comfortable demonstrating a range of motion.
Lastly, please bring any ACC information you have with you.
How does a Sports Podiatry appointment work?
To start with, we’ll discuss your injury (if you have one) and your goals. Next, we’ll perform a full biomechanical assessment to examine your feet, knees, hips and ankles. Depending on the extent of your injury and the sport you play, we’ll get you running and/or jumping to perform a gait analysis and determine your range of motion.
After the assessment phase, we’ll talk through a plan on how to achieve your goals, heal your injury, strengthen your limbs, and liaise with your other health care providers to get you back to your sport as soon as possible.
Are you ACC accredited?
Yes. Please bring any information related to your ACC claim with you to your appointment.
Do I need a referral?
No, though we welcome those with a referral. The extra information from your practitioner is always helpful.
Our Sports Podiatrist, Kirsten Harvey, loves seeing her patients thrive and achieve their sporting goals. Known for her positive energy and pragmatic approach, our clients love coming to see Kirsten. She’s absolutely dedicated to getting people back to doing what they love, whether that’s hitting the courts or running a marathon.
Kirsten has a Sports Accreditation from Podiatry New Zealand, making her one of only a few podiatrists to be officially certified in this unique area of podiatry. Kirsten’s approach involves both treating injuries and strengthening the lower limbs to reduce the potential for future injuries.
Whether you’re starting a new sport or are a sports professional, we’d love to help you do the activities you love with confidence. Get in touch or book a Sports Podiatry appointment online.