What We Treat
What is Sports Conditions?
Sport and physical activity place significant and repetitive demands on the foot and ankle. Whether you run regularly, cycle, play golf, or simply enjoy staying active, foot and ankle problems can quickly derail your training, limit your performance, and — if left unmanaged — become long-standing conditions that affect everyday life as well as sport.
I have a particular interest in the assessment and treatment of sports-related foot and ankle conditions in the general sporting population — the recreational runners, cyclists, golfers, and active individuals who are not professional athletes but for whom staying active matters enormously. You do not need to be competing at the highest level to deserve specialist care, and the impact of a foot or ankle problem on your quality of life and enjoyment of sport is just as real and just as important.
My focus in this area is on getting you back to the activity you love as quickly and safely as possible, using the most appropriate treatment — whether that is a targeted injection, a period of structured rehabilitation, or surgery where genuinely necessary.
Who I see?
Runners
From parkrun regulars to marathon runners experiencing overuse injuries, tendon problems, and stress-related conditions.
Cyclists
Road and mountain bikers with forefoot pain, nerve compression, or ankle problems related to cycling biomechanics and cleat position.
Golfers
Players affected by the rotational and walking demands of golf, including midfoot pain, big toe joint stiffness, and heel conditions.
Active Adults
Anyone whose foot or ankle pain is limiting their ability to exercise, walk, hike, or stay active in the way they want to.
Common Sports-Related Conditions I Treat
Achilles Tendinopathy
One of the most common overuse injuries in runners and other active individuals. Midportion and insertional Achilles tendinopathy both respond well to a structured approach combining rehabilitation with ultrasound-guided high volume injection therapy where indicated. For patients who have failed conservative management, surgical options including tendon decompression and the Zadek osteotomy for insertional disease are available.
Particularly relevant for: runners, cyclists, racket sports players
Plantar Fasciitis
A leading cause of heel pain in runners and those who spend long periods on their feet. When stretching, footwear modification, and physiotherapy have not resolved symptoms, ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection can provide significant relief and allow a return to training. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy and, in refractory cases, surgery.
Morton's Neuroma
Burning, shooting forefoot pain between the toes is particularly common in cyclists — where cleat position and narrow shoes compress the forefoot — and in runners. Ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection is highly effective in many cases, and excision is available for those who do not respond to non-surgical treatment.
Hallux Rigidus (Big Toe Joint Stiffness & Arthritis)
Stiffness and pain at the base of the big toe can significantly affect the push-off phase of running and the swing mechanics of a golf shot. Corticosteroid injection can reduce symptoms sufficiently to allow continued activity in many patients. Where arthritis is more advanced, surgical options including cheilectomy (removal of bone spurs) or first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion provide excellent and lasting outcomes.
Ankle Instability & Ligament Injuries
Recurrent ankle sprains and chronic lateral instability are common in active people and can become a persistent problem that limits sport and increases the risk of further injury. Following an appropriate period of physiotherapy and proprioceptive rehabilitation, patients whose instability has not resolved may benefit from lateral ligament reconstruction — a reliable surgical procedure with excellent long-term results for active patients.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures of the metatarsals, navicular, and other foot bones are a well-recognised consequence of high training loads and are particularly common in runners who have recently increased their mileage. Early identification is important — a missed or poorly managed stress fracture can progress to a complete break requiring surgery. Assessment includes weight-bearing X-rays and MRI to confirm the diagnosis and guide management, which in most cases is non-surgical but requires careful monitoring.
Peroneal tendon problems & Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy
Tendon problems around the ankle — including peroneal tendon tears and subluxation on the outer ankle, and tibialis posterior tendinopathy on the inner — are common in active individuals and frequently misdiagnosed as simple sprains. Ultrasound assessment and, where appropriate, targeted injection therapy form the basis of initial management, with surgical repair or reconstruction available for those who do not respond.
My Approach to Sports Patients
I understand that for active people, being told to simply stop exercising and rest is rarely a satisfactory answer. My approach is to establish an accurate diagnosis as quickly as possible, explore whether activity can be modified rather than stopped entirely during treatment, and offer interventions — whether injection, rehabilitation advice, or surgery — that are timed to minimise disruption to your training and lifestyle.
I also recognise that sports-related foot and ankle conditions often have a biomechanical component — a training error, a footwear issue, or a problem with gait mechanics that is placing excessive load on a vulnerable structure. Identifying and addressing these contributing factors is as important as treating the injury itself, and forms a central part of my assessment.
Where surgery is recommended, I will discuss the realistic return-to-sport timeline with you honestly so that you can plan your recovery and set meaningful goals for getting back to full activity.
Sports Foot & Ankle Clinics — Northamptonshire & the Lake District
I see sports-related foot and ankle patients at my private clinics in Northamptonshire and in the Lake District — an area with a large and active community of runners, cyclists, hikers, and outdoor sports enthusiasts. Both self-referral and GP referral are welcome for private appointments. Please get in touch to arrange a consultation.
