In podiatry news – the Western Bulldogs Football Club players have just been issued with Birkenstocks to replace the wearing of flat foot bed thongs over the summer months.
Correctly prescribed football boots and runners are a priority for AFL players lower limb biomechanics because of the high running loads experienced during their pre-season.
The player’s casual footwear is also just as important.
“It is important to give 100%, 100% of the time. This includes wearing quality footwear, not only while at the club during training sessions, but also on days off and when in causal attire” Lifecare Sports Medicine podiatrist Emma Poynton reported.
At the Western Bulldogs, Emma Poynton completes a pre-season treadmill video gait analysis for each player.
Following each player’s analysis they are prescribed the most appropriate football boots and runners for their individual biomechanics.
Often this footwear prescription will include a specific pre-season hybrid football boot, a cross between a runner and football boot, for example the Asics Ultimate Lethal.
This hybrid boot is recommended due to the high mileage the players are put through at training during the summer pre-season.
Once the season begins and games get underway, the training hybrid boots are typically alternated with the wear of match day performance boots.
This is then complemented by the players being issued supportive casual shoes, such as Birkenstocks, to wear when they are not in their athletic shoes.
As well as providing video gait analysis to the elite AFL players, podiatrist Emma Poynton is more than happy to assess and prescribe suitable footwear for all athletes – from the weekend warrior, junior athletes right up to the professional elite athlete at Lifecare Prahran, Ashburton and La Trobe Sports Medicine.