Why Should You See a Sports Podiatrist Before Marathon Training?
Posted on: 4 October 2016
If your running and fitness routine has expanded to marathons, then you already know you want to protect your legs and feet. You can handle this on your own, but you may be overlooking specific areas that could be prone to injury during your training. In order to avoid this issue, you should consider seeing a sports podiatrist. If you have never been to one before, here are some reasons that you should, especially prior to marathon training.
Proper Footwear
One of the topics a sports podiatrist will cover is your footwear. They will cover not only how often you should change out your footwear based on your training routine, but also other key points as well. These points will be what type of footwear you need based on your arch. The type of foot arch you have can be determined during the appointment in office. The sports podiatrist can also cover the proper shoe size and any accessories you may need such as insoles. If special insoles are required, they can prescribe these for you and you can obtain them through a sports therapy store or dealer.
Previous Injury Issues
If you have had previous injuries to your feet or legs, during other training or athletics, your sports podiatrist can review these for possible issues. These issues may be weak muscles or areas in your feet and legs that could become easily re-injured or, at the very least, inflamed during heavy training routines. Though they will likely not prevent you from training for your marathon, they may change how you need to train. Your doctor will be able to determine if changes should be made to your routine because of these previous injuries and give you options and recommendations to ease any inflammation or issues you may encounter.
Additional Exercise Routines
If you have a plan in place for your marathon training, your sports podiatrist can advise you on additional exercise practices to help your training. These additional exercises are generally geared to help you keep your muscles and joints from injury during the training. Keep in mind your sports podiatrist will concentrate on your feet, lower limbs, and your hips so exercises will likely deal with these areas and making sure you are stretching and resting properly.
These are just a few of the reasons you should see a sports podiatrist prior to starting marathon training routines. Consider asking your sports podiatrist about yours specific plan during your consultation.
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