If you are somebody who enjoys long distance running to test the limits of your fitness and endurance, then you will know exactly how important it can be to pay attention to what your feet are trying to tell you. Running is a sport that can be very hard on your feet for obvious reasons, and here at Swan Podiatry and Orthotics we firmly believe that custom orthotics are a massive help when it comes to long term preservation of health and fitness. To help you get an idea of what we mean, here are just a few of the many ways that orthotics can help endurance runners.

• If your feet are forced to move into an inefficient position for extended periods of time, due to poor biomechanics, then you run the risk of developing painful conditions like plantar fasciitis or even stress fractures. Orthotics can help to correct the imbalance of your gait and make the running posture a much more comfortable and functional
• This has a positive effect not just on your feet, but also up through the rest of your body as well. When your feet hurt in certain positions, your legs, knees and hips do small things to adjust and take the pressure off, which in turn leads to misalignment all the way up the chain. Orthotics can help to stop that from happening by solving the issues at the feet.
• If you are someone who suffers from chronic blisters, then orthotics can be a remedy. Sometimes no brand of shoe can help, but the addition of custom orthotics to a good quality runner can help better distribute force and deflect pressure from your painful blister site.
• Shin splints are also a condition that affects a lot of runners, especially young runners. Orthotics can provide a much more comfortable experience by reducing the stress off the painful muscles and shin. Advice on the amount of running and building up running distances slowly is also crucial in managing this condition.

So, if you are interested in receiving some advice of the benefits of custom orthotics and their effect on your running, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Swan Podiatry and Orthotics. If you have any questions, feel free to call 0428 976 360 and we will be more than happy to make the best recommendations based on your specific requirements. We look forward to hearing from you!

Cable Mills is the Senior Podiatrist at Swan Podiatry and Orthotics in Darwin.
He studied Podiatry at Charles Stuart University and has worked in busy podiatry practices in Darwin and Melbourne since graduating in 2011. He has a passion for sport and biomechanics and finds it rewarding to be able to make a difference to people’s lives.

Cable opened the first practice of Swan Podiatry and Orthotics at the beginning of 2016. His areas of expertise are sports injuries, orthotic therapy, general treatment, nail surgery, fracture management and diabetic care.