Enhancing Performance, Preventing Injuries and Injury rehabilitation and treatment.
Netball is a fast-paced and physically demanding sport that places significant stress on the lower extremities of players. As netballers constantly pivot, change direction, and perform explosive movements, they are prone to a range of foot and ankle injuries. To ensure optimal performance and prevent injuries, podiatrists play a crucial role in supporting netballers.
Podiatrists are integral in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle injuries. Podiatrists are university trained health professionals that specialise in the foot, ankle and lower limb.
What to expect when visiting a podiatrist?
What is involved in a biomechanical assessment?
At Highett Podiatry we can conduct a thorough examination of a netball player’s biomechanics through their lower limbs. Biomechanical and alignment anomalies can significantly impact the lower limb, including the back, hips, knees, and feet. By analysing walking patterns, foot structure and joint alignments we can identify and imbalances or abnormalities that can contribute to pain or injuries. These assessments can help to create a treatment plan to optimise players foot function.
Are custom orthotics beneficial for netball?
Orthotics work by applying forces to the feet and distributing the load more evenly through the foot, enabling the podiatrist to alter specific movements or offload stress within the tissues. In addition, orthotics provides pain relief and ongoing support to allow for realignment of the knees, hips, and spine, thereby relieving a range of musculoskeletal problems not limited to the feet. Netballers can benefit from orthotics that provide support and stability, particularly if they have issues such as knee pain, flat feet, high arches and/ or suffer with recurrent ankle sprains.
What footwear is best for netball?
Footwear plays an important role in protecting your feet as well as offering support. We believe a lot of foot and ankle conditions or injuries can be reduced or alleviated if the right footwear is chosen for the natural shape of your feet. Appropriate footwear is essential for netballers to maintain stability, cushioning, and traction on the court. Kate our netball guru is up to date with latest in netball shoe options.
Click here for Highett Podiatry’s Netball shoe guide.
How can I reduce injury risk when playing netball?
At Highett Podiatry we actively engage in preventive measures to minimise the occurrence of foot and ankle problems in netballers. We can prescribe specific stretching and strengthening exercises to improve muscle balance and flexibility. Additionally, we can offer guidance on proper warm-up and cool-down routines, taping techniques, and injury prevention strategies tailored to the unique demands of netball.
What happens if I get injured playing netball?
In the unfortunate event of a foot or ankle injury, podiatrists are skilled in providing comprehensive rehabilitation programs. Whether it’s a sprained ankle, stress fracture, plantar fasciitis, or Achilles tendonitis, we offer a combination of treatments. At Highett Podiatry we offer manual therapies, exercise prescription, taping, and footwear advice. We work closely with netballers to ensure a safe and efficient recovery, gradually reintroducing them to their sport and minimizing the risk of reinjury.
Conclusion
Netballers rely on their feet and ankle to perform at their best, that’s why at Highett Podiatry we aim to work with the athlete to get the best outcome. Our expertise can enhance performance, reduce risk of injury, and ensure netballers can excel on the court.