Peak Performance Podiatry

02/06/2026

Great weekend attending the 2026 Sports and Exercise Podiatry Australasia Conference in Noosa. It was fantastic to connect with colleagues from across Australia and New Zealand while learning from some of the leading clinicians and researchers in sports medicine, physiotherapy and podiatry.

Some of the key clinical takeaways from the conference included:

✅ Running-related injury management and rehabilitation with insights from Associate Professor Rich W***y, including current evidence surrounding running biomechanics, bone stress injuries, patellofemoral pain and rehabilitation strategies for athletic and tactical populations.

✅ Emerging concepts in shin pain management from Laura Anderson, challenging traditional views of medial tibial stress syndrome and highlighting evolving approaches to diagnosis, load management and rehabilitation in runners.

✅ Chronic ankle instability, ankle injury management and long-term outcomes following lower limb injury from Associate Professor Claire Hiller, including the importance of recognising persistent symptoms and optimising rehabilitation pathways.

✅ Evidence-based discussions around footwear, orthotic therapy, tendon rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, injury prevention, load monitoring and return-to-sport decision making.

One of the greatest benefits of conferences like this is the opportunity to challenge existing thinking, discuss difficult cases with peers, and ensure the care we provide remains aligned with the latest evidence and best practice.

A big thank you to Sports & Exercise Podiatry Australasia, the speakers, Asics Australia, Bared Footwear and organisers for delivering another outstanding conference. We look forward to bringing these learnings back to Peak Performance Podiatry and continuing to improve outcomes for our patients.

12/05/2026

A big thank you to Garran Medical Imaging and the Canberra Raiders for hosting Performance & Injury: An MSK Evening with the Raiders.

Our team had the opportunity to attend an excellent evening of sports medicine education and multidisciplinary discussion, with valuable insights from Ricky Stuart on the season ahead and the Raiders’ high-performance and medical processes.

The evening also featured fantastic presentations on:
• PRP Therapy – Dr Jatinder Shekhawat
• FAI / Hip Impingement – Dr Alexander Burns
• Lisfranc Injuries – Dr Zafar
• Management of Ankle Injuries – Dr Yeong Joe Lau

Great to continue learning alongside other healthcare professionals and stay up to date with current approaches in sports and musculoskeletal medicine.

05/05/2026

Listen in as Pat speaks with two of the most respected clinician-athlete voices in Australian running: elite marathoner, Thomas Do Canto (Pinnacle Sports Podiatry) and middle-distance specialist, Michael Nitschke. .

In Episode 6 of , recorded live from the 2025 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference, we speak with two of the most respected clinician-athlete voices in Australian running: elite marathoner, Thomas Do Canto (Pinnacle Sports Podiatry) and middle-distance specialist, Michael Nitschke. 🔬🏃‍♂️

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ The Empathy Factor: How having experienced almost every running injury first-hand creates a unique "buy-in" with patients.

👟 Super Shoe Reality: Why Michael calls these shoes the "e-bikes" of running and how they’ve sparked a participation boom by making running more enjoyable.

📊 Data vs. Nuance: Why Michael uses metrics to describe habits rather than prescribe them, plus Tom's take on visual gait analysis.

🧠 The Psychology of Injury: Navigating the "competitive parent" and coaching kids through the long-term resilience needed for sport.

🤖 The AI Clinician: Thomas shares how he utilises AI to slash admin time and deliver highly personalised, comprehensive plans to his patients.

🛡️ Experience as a Metric: Why a runner's history and years in the sport remain the most critical factors in injury prevention.

Streaming now on all major streaming platforms: https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science 🎧

A huge thank you to Michael and Tom for sharing their insights into the evolution of sports podiatry and performance.

DON'T FORGET - WE’RE PICKING UP THE PACE! 🚀 We’re breaking our usual monthly release schedule to bring you more episodes over the coming weeks. Be sure to follow us so you don’t miss a second!

08/04/2026

Hosted with our Sports & Exercise Podiatrist Pat here is Sole Science Episode 4 features dual Olympian & Sports Podiatrist, Matt Clarke.

A rare inside look at what happens when elite performance meets clinical decision-making.

Key takeaways:
• The athlete–clinician dual perspective
• The real impact of “super shoes” on biomechanics
• Why the Achilles is the engine of running
• Injury, empathy, and treating athletes under pressure
• When to break the rules in high-performance care

In Episode 4 of , we sit down with a guest who truly lives life in the fast lane: dual and , Matt Clarke. 🏃‍♂️💨

Matt brings a rare "dual-lens" perspective to the podiatry world, balancing his career as an elite 3,000m steeplechaser with a high-level clinical practice. In this episode, we explore how being one of the world's best athletes informs his work in the clinic.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ The Parallel Path: How Matt’s journey into elite running and podiatry started simultaneously and how he manages the demands of both worlds.

👟 Super Shoes & Steeple Spikes: Matt’s expert take on the evolution of foam technology and the biomechanical shift from traditional leather spikes to modern "super" footwear.

🛡️ The Resilience Factor: Why a "springy" Achilles is the engine of a distance runner and the neuromuscular economy required to hurdle at high speeds.

🩹 The "Terrible Patient" Advantage: How Matt’s own battles with hamstring and Achilles injuries taught him the empathy needed to treat athletes on a deadline.

🛠️ Creative Clinical Solutions: Why working with elite athletes often means "throwing out the rule book" to find functional, risk-based solutions.

Listen now on your favorite platform: 🎧 https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science/

A huge thank you to Matt for sharing his insights into the intersection of elite sport and clinical excellence.

24/02/2026

Clinic Update | Bringing World-Class Learning Back to Canberra

As Canberra’s premier Sports & Exercise Podiatry clinic, ongoing professional development is central to how we deliver the highest level of care.

Over the weekend, Pat attended the 2026 Vald Performance Practitioner’s Summit: Lower Limb Return-to-Play, joining leading sports medicine clinicians, physiotherapists, and performance specialists from across Australia.

Notably, Pat was the only Sports & Exercise Podiatrist from Canberra in attendance, reinforcing our clear commitment to advancing knowledge within our specialised field and bringing the latest evidence directly back to our local sporting community.

Here are some standout clinical insights from the summit 👇

🏃‍♂️ Lachlan Wilmot — Load, Velocity & Smart Rehab Planning

Modern rehabilitation isn’t just about strength it’s about producing meaningful force quickly.

✅ Loaded velocity training develops the ability to apply force fast
✅ The force–velocity spectrum spans maximum force and maximum velocity, but a key focus for load tolerance is impulse
✅ Rehab programming is like managing a budget
the real clinical skill is the game of omission, not adding more exercises

Better rehab comes from precision, not complexity.

🧠 Selwyn Griffith (Melbourne Football Club) — What Rehabilitation Really Means

A simple but powerful concept:

👉 Rehabilitation is training in the presence of injury.

Key principles:

Progress based on criteria, not timelines

Capacity determines progression not weeks post-injury

Rehab should mirror performance preparation

🦵 Ebonie Rio — Tendon Rehabilitation

One of the most important reminders:

❌ Tendons rarely improve with complete rest
✅ The priority is reducing provocative loads, not removing load altogether

Appropriate loading drives tendon adaptation and long-term resilience.

✔ Evidence-based rehabilitation
✔ Individualised return-to-play decisions
✔ Modern load management strategies

We’re proud to continue investing in specialised education so Canberra athletes and active individuals receive world-class Sports & Exercise Podiatry care locally.

19/02/2026

Heritage Footwear + Orthotics — A Better Urban Footwear Option

At Peak Performance Podiatry, we’re often asked:

“What shoes actually work with orthotics for work, travel or smart-casual wear but also looks good?”

Recently we’ve been testing a range of heritage footwear options that perform exceptionally well for patients needing support without sacrificing style.

These shoes share important characteristics we look for clinically:
✅ Adequate width
✅ Proper internal depth
✅ Stable construction
✅ Durable materials designed for long-term wear

Heritage footwear options that work well with orthoses:

Danner Mountain Light (GORE-TEX)
Stitchdown construction creates a wider and more stable platform underfoot. Excellent option for structured orthotics and long days on your feet.

Red Wing Heritage Classic Moc
A broad forefoot design with generous volume. Goodyear welt construction allows resoling and long-term use, ideal for patients wanting longevity.

Birkenstock Bend Low
A smart-casual sneaker with removable footbed and wide toe box, allowing accommodation of custom orthoses while maintaining everyday comfort.

Blundstone Dress Series
Slim aesthetic but surprisingly good internal depth. Lightweight, shock-absorbing and very orthotic-friendly for office or travel wear.

Diemme Roccia Vet
Premium leather urban hiking boot with excellent internal volume and stability for orthotic integration.

Good footwear is part of treatment not just an accessory.

Many modern dress shoes are too narrow or shallow for proper biomechanical support. Well-constructed heritage footwear provides the structure needed for orthoses to function effectively.

We recently paired these models with custom 3D-printed orthotics fabricated by Footwork Podiatric Laboratory, allowing patients to transition seamlessly between work, travel and daily activity.

If you’re unsure whether your shoes are helping or worsening your foot pain, we’re happy to assess your footwear as part of your consultation.

📍 Peak Performance Podiatry — Canberra
Helping you move better, every day.

27/01/2026

The wait is over! Episode 1 of Sole Science is LIVE. ✨

In our very first episode, our hosts Patrick Doan and Harriet Thurlow had the pleasure of interviewing credentialled Sports Podiatrist, John Osborne.

Key Topics Covered:

🔍 Defining the Specialty: John discusses the name change to "Sports and Exercise Podiatry" and what this broader scope means for both the profession and patients.

🚀 The Path to Certification: A look at the value of peer-reviewed recognition and the responsibility that comes with being a leader in the field.

⚙️ Rethinking Rehabilitation: An exploration of traditional exercise models and why it’s important to match rehabilitation to the physical demands of daily activities.

🛠️ The Clinical Toolkit: A balanced discussion on using technology for objective measurements versus the essential role of patient education and communication.

👣 Practical Strategies for Heel Pain: John outlines his primary clinical approach, including the importance of footwear, education, and empowering patients with clear management strategies.

More details on how to listen: 🎧https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science/

Big thanks to John for being our very first guest and for being so generous with his time and expertise! 💜

24/01/2026

Our Podiatrist Patrick has been hard at work with a project over the last 12 months!

Great to see this content for the Sports & Exercise Podiatrists in Australia.

08/01/2026

We’re back open for 2026! 👟🇯🇵

Over the Christmas and New Year break, Patrick spent the time sharpening his skills as a Sports Podiatrist, investing in learning, biomechanics, and performance-focused footwear with ASICS

Part of this journey included a visit to the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Kobe, Japan. A huge thank you to Masaru and the team for the warm welcome and for providing an incredible behind-the-scenes look at the multi-sport functional research department.

The visit offered rare insight into:

materials processing and footwear design

shoe prototypes and iterative testing

applied biomechanics

advanced 3D foot modelling used in final-stage shoe development

It was also a genuine honour to meet Toshikazu Kayano, the renowned designer behind the iconic Gel-Kayano, first released in 1993.

A powerful reminder that great science, great design, and great feet can take you a long way.
We’re back, refreshed, and ready to apply world-class thinking to your care in 2026.

23/11/2025