Pain is your body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong, so if you have pain in your feet, ankles, legs, hips or back, a biomechanical assessment can be more than helpful.

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A biomechanical assessment is an investigation into the mechanics of your lower limb function, and is carried out by a qualified podiatrist. and takes about 45-60 minutes.

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What is involved in the assessment?

 

Your assessment usually takes between 45 – 60 minutes. First, we look at any history of previous injuries. Then, we assess your lower limbs. We look at your feet, your pelvis, legs and knees and the relationship between them; they are all closely connected and pain in one area can be due to a weakness or structural problem in another.

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With you lying on a couch, the podiatrist examines the joint range of motions of your hips, knees and feet. Your muscle strengths and weaknesses are also assessed, and the podiatrist will also look for any signs of leg length discrepancy.

 

With you standing up and relaxed, the alignment of your feet (and relationship with your lower legs) will also be checked – and we sometimes carry out a gait analysis which looks at the interaction between your foot and the ground during each stage of the ‘gait cycle’ (the time between one foot leaving the ground and touching it again when you walk or run).

 

With the cause(s) of your problems identified, we develop a bespoke treatment plan to improve your symptoms.

 

This may involve exercises to stretch or strengthen your muscles, the use of bespoke foot orthotics, and more general footwear advice.