What is it?

In a biomechanical assessment we examine the way your lower limbs work. We check for abnormalities and possible causes of pain in the foot, ankle, knee and back.

Why might you need one?

• Very few people, if any, are completely symmetrical and this affects the way that people stand and move.
• Differences in leg length, unusually high or low arches, or injuries can all put extra pressure on joints, ligaments and tendons. This can result in people suffering pain when they move or simply stand.
• Once the causes of this pain are established we can recommend a variety of treatments, including exercise therapy, advice on footwear and provision of insoles to correct foot posture (the medical term is “orthotics”)

What’s involved in the biomechanical assessment?

• Remember to bring your everyday shoes and trainers
• Bring shorts to allow us to better assess you

Assessment

• Review existing medical conditions and medication
• Non weight-bearing assessment of muscle and joint flexibility and movement
• Static assessment of stance and foot posture whilst standing
• Dynamic gait analysis whilst walking
• A combination of this analysis and clinical observation allows us to assess limb length discrepancies and the foot in motion.

Treatments

• Exercise therapy
• Footwear advice
• Provision of insoles to correct foot posture
• Review appointment, typically after six weeks