Foot First: Rethinking Intrinsic Strength & Injury Rehab with Dr. Sue Mayes

Summary

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Sue Mayes, a distinguished physiotherapist and senior lecturer at La Trobe University, who is renowned for her expertise in injury prevention and rehabilitation, particularly in elite dancers and athletes. Dr. Mayes discusses the significance of foot intrinsic muscles, focusing on their role in ballet and sports injuries. She explains common issues like hallux valgus and foot arch control, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic muscle strengthening to enhance performance and reduce injury risk.

Dr. Mayes shares insights into effective foot strengthening techniques, such as banded exercises and stair running, while highlighting the limitations of traditional exercises like toe doming. She also explores the impact of footwear, advocating for a gradual adaptation to minimalist shoes. The conversation covers the role of intrinsic muscles in chronic conditions like ankle instability and shin splints, and the need for a comprehensive approach that includes calf and hip strengthening.

Listeners gain practical tips on creating foot strengthening programs, selecting appropriate exercises, and understanding the nuances of rehabilitation across different sports. Dr. Mayes underscores the importance of balancing foot strength and emphasizes the need for proper footwear to prevent stress fractures. The episode concludes with a call to acknowledge the lateral foot muscles and their role in distributing load effectively.

Content

00:00 Intro

01:01 What are Foot Intrinsics?

01:40 Most common foot/ankle injuries in Ballet

02:20 Hallux Valgus

04:30 Taping for Hallux Valgus

06:12 Quantifying intrinsic muscle strength

08:03 Foot Arch

09:45 Sponsor

10:35 The dome exercise

12:30 Common misconceptions

13:43 Footwear

17:40 Intrinsic Foot muscle weakness as risk factor

19:50 Performance Impact

22:25 Building a foot strengthening program

27:32 Sponsor

28:44 Strength program progression

30:50 Balance program

32:43 Focus on Abductor Hallucis

34:42 What else to focus on?

36:15 Plyometrics

38:25 Footballer are like Ballerinas

41:12 What clinicians should know about feet

42:26 Sue's closing thoughts

44:10 Contact info & Outro

Bonus Material

Download the referenced transcript including PubMed Links and a high-resolution infographic on this episode as part of your Physiotutors membership on the Physiotutors App.

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