Gait Analysis & Biomechanical Assessment

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The Sportsphysio injury clinic provides gait analysis and biomechanical assessment in Cumbria and South Scotland.

Running SkeletonWe believe that a skilled practitioner is essential when it comes to analysing the foot and its actions. Most problems are not limited to simple pronation or supination of the foot.

A gait problem may lie with other structures of the body and a thorough, skillful assessment of your biomechanics, including foot, lower limb and spine is our standard approach.  For this reason, we prefer to use the term biomechanical assessment, of which gait analysis is only an element.

The outcome of the assessment will let us know where the problem lies. This will open up various treatment pathways, adapting them to find the right combination for you.

  • Some problems can be rectified with manipulation, adjustment and exercise programmes.
  • Core strength training can improve posture, leading to a more efficient gait (walking pattern).
  • Orthotics and specific exercises can be used to correct problems with the foot itself.

Why we are different

The Sportsphysio.com takes great pride in being one of a very few clinics to look comprehensively at the body as a whole, allowing you to obtain your very own “blueprint” of how your body’s biomechanics affect your sport and every day activity.

This profile allows you to understand your posture, technique, range of movement and flexibility.

Advice on how to utilise this and adapt where necessary, reduces unnecessary strain on soft tissues and joints and helps prevent injury.  Your agility, performance and personal best can be greatly improved.

  • Independent – The Sportsphysio gait analysis and video capture systems are our own. We do not tie ourselves to orthotics or footwear manufacturers and as a result feel that we offer a completely unbiased, professional service based on sound science and clinical based evidence.
  • Skill- We have an in depth knowledge of the body’s mechanics and the physical and mathematical processes involved in measuring it’s movement.
  • Open minded – Biomechanical or gait problems can have many causes, not all of which can be solved by orthotics.  Our thorough assessment allows us to determine the best advice or treatment approach for you.
  • Flexible – When orthotics are required, The Sportsphysio practitioners have access to a number of quality suppliers and specialist orthotists, to allow us to achieve your perfect orthoses.
  • Adaptable – We know that every body is different, so we will never use a “one style fits all” approach.  Instead we can help you get the best from what nature has given you, fine tuning each individual.

The Sportsphysio biomechanics assessment

A typical biomechanics assessment at The Sportsphysio clinic will take into account any problems you may be experiencing, your activity and aspirations.  Our comprehensive assessment includes:

  • Full postural analysis
  • Joint and muscle function tests
  • Comprehensive assessment of your foot function
  • Pressure measurement of your active foot
  • Video analysis

Who is biomechanical and gait analysis suitable for?

We work with elite and amateur sportsmen and women to help improve performance and reduce injury risk, but anybody who experiences mechanical back pain, hip, knee, ankle or foot problems can also be greatly helped by analysing the body’s biomechanics and gait.

Buy Securely Online

You can even buy your Biomechanics Assessment voucher online for yourself or possibly to treat a friend for Christmas or their birthday.  Your voucher will be e.mailed to you and all you need to do is call us to arrange your appointment.


Choosing Office Furniture

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Choosing the right type of office chair or desk can be daunting, but choosing the wrong ones can can lead to all sorts of problems and pain. For this reason, we have teamed up with Carlisle Business Supplies to offer a complete office seating and workspace service.

Task Posture from Carlisle Business Supplies

Working together to bring you the best

This partnership offers the ideal solution to anyone who is tasked with re-equipping an office, updating current facilities or setting up their home office.

 

Individual needs, limited budget

In many organisations the purchase of new office equipment has to balance the needs of the individual, to the tight budgets of the company.

To this end, assessments of biomechanical requirements can be carried out ahead of any purchase of equipment and then suitable solutions identified.

Depending on project budget, our joint services can help guide you through a bewildering array of choices.

Local companies helping each other, to help you

Combining a musculoskeletal expert from TheSportsphyio.com with an office equipment supplier provides your organisation with a unique service available to the local small business.

Choosing  office furniture is not a task that should be undertaken lightly, there are many factors to consider; The biomechanics and build of the user, what the furniture will be used for and for how long.

Would you sleep in a bad bed for the same length of time as you sit in the office?

Office seating from PSI seating

Your office chair has to offer movement with support

 

Over 67% of the working population will spend about 70% of their working day, sitting at a workstation or computer terminal.

Put another way, you may spend as much time in an office chair as you do in bed.   It therefore makes sense that the chair is providing all the elements your body needs.

Over 11 million working days are lost every year through back pain, not to mention the impact on family, social life and leisure activities.

Our combined skills are aimed at taking the uncertainty and guessing out of buying office chairs and desks.

Carlisle Business Supplies will sit down and discuss your requirements, take you through the range of suitable options and even arrange for you to spend time trialling the chair or desk at your own premises.

Help is available, locally

If you are unsure about the type of chair suitable for you or your staff, The Sportsphysio  can carry out a simple assessment, discussing any problems that may exist.  We will then advise on the type of chair / desk you need to be looking for and you can pop along to see the friendly, helpful staff at Carlisle Office Supplies who can assist with the rest.

Staff at Carlisle Business Supplies are kept up to date with the latest research into work related conditions, allowing them to understand the specialists and practitioners.  This information they apply when helping you choose your office furniture.

Conversely, we will spend time with the staff of Carlisle Business Supplies to review latest developments in manufacture and design so that we understand what is available to you.

More Information

Carlisle Business Supplies


Dancers

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With our knowledge of biomechanics and injury mechanisms we are well placed to treat injuries sustained by dancers.

Dancer's Flexible Legs and Feet

Injury and rehabilitation treatment for dancers

We have worked with a number of professional dancers, from the world of ballet and contemporary dance.

 

Dancing is just as taxing on the body as many sports and the injuries sustained are just as debilitating.

Remedial massage and soft tissue treatments are a regular part of a dancer’s regime and The Sportsphysio.com have developed a number of specialised techniques aimed at reducing strain and tension.

Rehearsal & performance

Intensity of training and tight rehearsal schedules, combined with movements that can take the joints, especially of the foot, well beyond their normal range, places great strain on soft tissues and bony structures alike.

Repeated training and performance limits the body’s healing time, often meaning that many injuries are compounded.

Understanding dancers

Here at the Sportsphysio.com, we understand the requirements of the dance techniques and the stresses of training and performance and always take this into account when designing treatment and rehabilitation programmes.

Pointe work

We can provide specific advice and exercises for pointe work and carry out pre pointe assessments.


How to Become an Osteopath

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We are often asked how one goes about training to be an Osteopath

By law, anybody using the name Osteopath has to be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) to practice in the UK.

What is Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions.  It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.

Osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery.  Osteopaths use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms.  They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring.

All osteopaths in the UK are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC).

What can Osteopaths treat?

Osteopaths’ patients include; the young, older people, manual workers, office professionals, pregnant women, children and sports people.  Patients seek treatment for a wide variety of conditions, including back pain, repetitive strain injury, changes to posture in pregnancy, postural problems caused by driving or work strain, the pain of arthritis and sports injuries.

Osteopathic Training

Training courses which are recognised by the GOsC, are of degree level and take about four or five years to complete. ( BSc Hons, BOst or BOstMed) or a masters degree (MOst).

Osteopathy courses can be full or part time and there are also courses with accelerated pathways for doctors and physiotherapists.

The Osteopathy degree course includes; anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, nutrition and biomechanics, plus at least 1,000 hours of clinical training.

Recognised Osteopathic Schools

British College of Osteopathic Medicine
The British School of Osteopathy
College of Osteopaths validated by Middlesex University
College of Osteopaths validated by Keele University
European School of Osteopathy
Leeds Metropolitan University
London College of Osteopathic Medicine (qualified medical doctors)
London School of Osteopathy
Oxford Brookes University
Surrey Institute of Osteopathic Medicine


Orthotics & Gait Analysis

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The Sportsphysio injury clinic specialises in gait analysis and biomechanics. Skilled thorough assessment is essential when treating gait problems, with every aspect of biomechanics taken into account from the foot to the spine.

The Foot Problem
As we walk, the foot strikes the ground slightly on the outer side of the heel.  Natural forces encourage the foot to roll inward slightly (pronate) before lifting off using the big toe as a lever. In effect, your foot acts like a spring.

In some feet, this leaning inward (pronation) of the midfoot and heel is excessive and causes strain to the joints and supporting ligaments of the foot.  Painful symptoms in the foot, lower leg and knee may develop with some of the worst cases causing pain in the lower back and loss of core stability. The “spring” effect of the foot is lost.

To prevent this from happening, the heel should remain vertical, the medial arch supported and pressure distributed evenly through the forefoot.

Of course, there are people who place too much pressure on the outside of the foot (Supination).  Although this is not as common, it can also cause foot pain and symptoms such as shin splints.

Many conditions such as heel pain, Metatarsalgia (pain under the toe joints) and Plantar Fasciitis are a sign that something may be wrong with the biomechanics of the foot.

The Solution
Sometimes the problem does not lie with the foot itself, so skillful analysis of your biomechanics, including foot, lower limb and back assessment is carried out.

Manipulation, adjustment and exercise programmes can help to rectify problems with the back or lower limb.

Core strength training can alter posture, leading to a more efficient gait (walking pattern).

Orthotics and specific exercises can be used to correct problems with the foot itself.

Prescriptive Orthotics
There are many types of orthotics (specially designed shoe inserts) on the market but where pain and dysfunction need to be rectified, the only solution is a custom build orthotic designed specifically for your foot.

We use high quality, state of the art materials which offer the opportunity to control foot posture and modify pressure distribution.

Orthotics can generally be custom built within a few days and you will be instructed as to their correct use to allow the body to adjust over a period of time.

Various type of orthotic are available depending on budget, from professionally tailored “ready to wear” right up to bespoke rightstride® D3D and RS devices, featuring the latest in EVA and  Co-polymer Carbon technology.

D3D Orthotics

D3D Sports/Active

D3D Sports/Active

The rightstride® D3D bespoke orthotics are produced in EVA.

This enables us to mix base and top material density creating support and comfort in one superb device.

These versatile devices have been PROVEN to remain effective in the harshest of environments as demonstrated by service men and women all over the world.

Neuropathic diabetic patients who require offloading of pressure also benefit from this unique orthotic with its amazing mix of material density.

RS Orthotics

Rs Marathon runner

Rs Marathon runner

The rightstride® RS bespoke orthotics are made in co-polymer carbon.

Ultra durable, with a blend of functional control and dynamic flexibility resulting in the shell flexing under loading while remaining semi rigid under normal load.

A solution to the most demanding fashion shoe is here in the fashion fit orthotic and rightstride® provide us with huge range of different devices from the classic to the summer and winter Sports activities.

RSscan Lab’s advanced foot scanning systems and foot plates give accurate gait analysis, foot pressure measurement that will help in foot pain treatment.


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