Runner’s knee will affect more runners than any other injury and accounts for about 40% of running injuries. When running, as the foot strikes the ground, forces are transmitted from the foot up through the knee and combined with the body’s weight places excessive stress and strain on the knee joint. The knee also works with the foot as an active shock absorber reducing stress on other parts of the body and is therefore the primary load baring joint and critical for running.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: We look for specific biomechanical movements that can cause or increase the risk of runner’s knee: overly fast foot movement through the stride, short calves, short stride length etc.
Custom Insoles: Will help reduce harmful shock, guide and stabilize the foot.
Footwear: The correct footwear can help to protect the knee and significantly reduce injury but likewise incorrect or worn footwear can cause or increase injury.
Exercises: we can recommend quad and hamstring stretching and strengthening exercises that will help improve movement and function.

Medial (inside) knee pain is caused by the inwards movement of the knee during the weight baring phase of the running stride. The knee joint is designed to move in one direction (backward and forwards) so the additional inwards movement that can occur while running is unnatural and causes medial pain. Women have a higher incident of medial knee pain than men due the wider pelvis and angle of thigh.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: Both foot and hip contribute to the alignment of the knee and instability in the foot or hip are can cause medial knee pain. We look for key movement patterns as indicators of knee tracking problems.
Custom Insoles: Support and stabilize the foot and significantly reduce medial movement and improving knee comfort.
Footwear: Will be selected to help stabilise the knee and meet the cushioning requirements of the foot and body.
Exercises: Range of motion, strength and technique will all impact on optimal biomechanical function and we will recommend exercises to help.

Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome) are one of the most painful running injuries. As the name suggest the shin (tibia) experiences 'splinting' of the bone, as the muscle belly tries to detach itself from the bone. You feel pain somewhere along the length of the inside of the shin bone and it can be from mild to excruciatingly painful to touch. One of the main muscles involved is the Posterior Tibialis whose main job is to help decelerate the medial arch as the foot goes to 'foot flat'. If this happens too quickly with too much force in a repetitive action the muscle attachment onto the bone starts to splinter.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: Here we can observe the relationship of how quickly the foot's medial arch collapses and the tracking of the knee. This gives us a feel for how much stress is experienced on the inside of the shin bone.
Custom Insoles: Will help stabilise the medial arch and reduce the rate at which the arch falls to the ground, in turn reducing the stresses on the inside of the shin.
Footwear: If your shoes either limit the amount of foot motion or allow for too much foot roll, this will affect the ability and timing of the muscles and skeleton to reduce shock and attenuate load along the shin area. If your shoes are just plain worn out then shin splints may return as a result so be aware: Change shoes after 400miles!

The Plantar Fascia (PF) is a thick fibrous “elastic” band that extends from the front of the heel bone, wrapping around the ball of the foot, and attaching to the end of the toes. It acts like a suspension system for the foot and helps to distribute loads along the foot. Plantar fasciitis happens when the band becomes too stressed and an inflammation occurs near the heel/arch area.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: Causes can include tight calves, excessive foot pronation, poor footwear fit and function.
Custom Insoles: These will help relax, support and guide the foot and work with the PF in loading, unloading and timing of the foots movement.
Footwear: Footwear plays a major role in prevention and cause. If the shoes are too long or too short the flex/rocker of the shoe and foot don't match, placing excessive strain on the planter fascia. If the shoes are too hard or too soft this can also increase the degree of strain on the Plantar Fascia.

A neuroma is an over compression of the nerves underneath the ball of the foot. It is common in sprinters, dancers and when running uphill where excessive force is directed to the forefoot causing collapse of the metatarsal arch and irritation of the nerve fibres between the toes. Neuroma’s are aggravated or even caused by footwear that is too narrow or too hard under the foot.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: We look at the pressure distribution behind the toes, especially the 3rd and 4th toe, to identify 'hot spots'.
Custom Insoles: Will help to evenly distribute pressure under the underside of the foot.
Footwear: If shoes are too small or too narrow and or the cushioning too hard, this will lead to numb toes and eventually neuroma’s. The correct fit profile is essential to protect the foot without compressing and bunching the toes together.

Bunions are a boney lump that forms around the side of the big toe joint often referred to as a Hallux Valgus. They are formed by a combination of biomechanical behavior (excessive forefoot roll), genetics and/or ill fitting footwear.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: We can see how the foot functions and the possible cause of the bunion from a biomechanical perspective and thus reduce the risk that footwear and sports will make things worse. Custom Insoles: Will help to stabilize and support the foot, reducing pronation and improving the foots position within the shoe which in turn reduces pressure on the bunion.
Footwear: One of biggest contributors to bunions. Shoes that are too tight in the toe area will restrict normal toe alignment and flexion. The correct volume, shape, profile and function is key.

Lower back pain (LBP) is caused by either structural (bones) and/or functional (muscles) issues. Muscles imbalance, core weakness, leg length discrepancies, poor posture, foot mechanics, footwear, poor shock attenuation, lack of/too much activity and spinal alignment. The pain is either felt on the sides of the spine or directly on the mid spine. It's advisable to consult an expert to get a diagnosis of the background reasons for LBP.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: Difference in hip height and foot pressure can reveal some indicators for LBP.
Custom Insoles: Help to stabilise the foot and reduce harmful shock waves that travel up the leg and pelvis and jar the spine.
Footwear: Shoes that are too soft, too hard, too supportive, not supportive enough and shoes with too high a heel to forefoot ratio can contribute to lower back pain.
Exercises: Proper core strength and control is vital in reducing the load on the lower back.

The largest tendon in the body, it attaches the calf to the heel. It is highly elastic but prone to repetitive strain (tendonitis) or in extreme cases even ruptures. A short, tight calf muscle can place additional stress on the tendon, common in higher arched feet or excessively mobile and pronated feet. Forefoot strikers seem more prone to this injury due increased loads on the calves and Achilles.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: Analysis: Identify biomechanical issues that could predispose you to injury such as; the speed the achilies comes under tension, foot type and motion, running style, and current footwear.
Custom Insoles: Help stabilize and guide the foot and slow the rate of foot motion.
Footwear: Footwear can be a major contributor to Achilles tendonitis. Shoes that are too soft or too hard or wrong heel counter fit, over-support or under-support will all significantly contribute. The correct shoe maybe the biggest player in getting you back on track.
Exercises: Proper training, strengthening and stretching exercises will be covered. Poor flexibility and incorrect training such as too much hill work too early will all be addressed.

The ankle joint (aka sub-talar joint ) is the key to lower limb function, stability and shock absorption. The joint is the articulation between the tibia, fibula and the foot and is subject to considerable forces. Twisting or “Going over' on your ankle causes lateral ankle sprain where the talus effectively tries to part company with the surrounding structure, tearing and rupturing the ligaments around the outside ankle.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: We look for foot types and foot movements that make the ankle more prone to ankle sprains and check for footwear suitability for more susceptible ankles.
Custom Insoles: Can help maintain better lateral support both on the inside and outside of the feet and help stabilise the ankle joint.
Footwear: Correct support is needed to avoid these sprains and ensure that a shoe isn’t over supportive
Exercises: Balance training can help to strengthen and re-orientate the ankle joint to both prevent and recover from injury.

The ITB is a tough fibrous tendon that runs from the top of the outside of the hip to below the outside of the knee and is important to the tracking of the knee while running. Too much tension in the ITB can cause pain on the outside of the knee and can be as a result of; leg length issues, tight hamstrings, foot mechanics, footwear and muscle imbalances.

How Profeet can help:

Analysis: During analysis we will look for biomechanical issues such as foot motion and the tracking of the knees.
Custom Insoles: Will help stabilise the foot and knee and help reduce the tension along the band that adds to rubbing and leads to inflammation about the knee.
Footwear: The wrong footwear in terms of function can directly influence ITB syndrome. Shoes with too much support or not enough support, will affect the alignment and tracking of the knee and therefore tension in the ITB. The correct footwear is key to reducing the effect of ITB syndrome or reducing the risk of getting it.
Exercises: Strength and stability around the hip can help reduce tension in the ITB.