16. Pat the Podiatrist - Foot strike, orthortics and lower limb injuries

Ep.014 w/ Patrick O’Connell. Is heel striking bad? Will orthotics make my feet weak? How does shoe stack height affect my injury risk? We cover all of this and MORE in our latest episode with Patrick O'Connell, sports Podiatrist, Run coach and founder of Move Pod Podiatry. Patrick O'Connell @pat.the.podiatrist was the 2018 Australian Allied Health Award Winner and 2019 National Industry Award Judge. Pat has a passion for movement based rehab and a desire to help athletes gain both the knowledge and skills to prevent future injuries. In this episode we get to know who Pat the Pod is; his personal journey in school sports, running, what led him to podiatry and his current training goals. We ask Pat to unpack what podiatry encompasses, how they work, what they treat and how they can benefit runners. We unpack running mechanics, common runners injuries and the importance of seeking advice from practitioners who specialises in running. Pat breaks down how he assesses runners, delving into the key things to look for in running biomechanics. We talk about force production, load absorption, tissue tolerance and strength training. Pat explains that strength training may look quite different for all individuals and the importance of working within flexible parameters. Pat discusses importance of long term strategies compared to quick fixes, unpacking the potential roles of orthotics and shoe selection. We learn about the myths of pronation and get some practical take homes, as well as an 8-part exercise series on foot strength for performance and injury prevention. You can find this on our instagram page @strongerstride. We can't wait to hear what you think of our conversation with @pat.the.podiatrist, please reach out with any feedback or questions you have @strongerstride or via email [email protected] As always please don't forget to leave us a review on the apple podcast app or tag us in your instagram story. TSSP xx