Exercise & Sports Podiatry

Season 2, Episode 4 - Gait Assessment and Retraining

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +1030

Can we change people's gait and get better at running? It is a highly debated topic and one that Mike and Matt delve into why it may help, but also why it can be hotly rebutted. They go over changing someone's gait both in the short and long term and why/why not and how...

They chat about how efficiency can be seen by the trained eye and that the research that disputes that may have some holes in it that further studies would need to be done to be more conclusive.

A topic that could be talked about for days between these two, we have done our best to keep it under an hour!

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Reference to Matt's comment regarding cadence increasing perceived effort of running

Effects of Step Rate Manipulation on Joint Mechanics during Running. Heiderscheit et al., 2011

Exercise & Sports Podiatry was made by podiatrists, runners and coaches, Matt Clarke and Michael Nitschke, to help runners, clinicians, and anyone interested in sport find a place for evidence driven information on all things related to the lower limb in sport as well getting insights by people that put their knowledge into practice in all aspects of their own lives.

We can be followed on:
Instagram: @sparc_esp
Facebook: SPARC Sports & Exercise Podiatry

Season 2, Episode 3: Exercise, Health & Sports Podiatry. Training Through the Performance Lense

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:00:00 +1030

Matt and Mike are back to discuss training this time with performance as the main goal. They compare and contrast the differences and similarities they see in their own squads but also in clinic.

Matt uses his knee injury to describe how athletes can still keep performing with compromise and Mike delves into racing some pro races to get him ready for the upcoming track season.

They open up a new section "Pod Pod P.O.D" Podiatry Podcast Point of Difference and chat about one their strengths - gait assessment and retraining. They finish off with a teaser for next week where they will go through that topic in greater detail.

If you are enjoying the podcast please subscribe via your preferred player, podcasts are free to listen to but cost to produce and your support is always appreciated by us!

Season 2, Episode 2. Exercise, Sports & Health Podiatry. Programming to Reduce Injury

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0930

For our 2nd Season, we do a double initial release...

The guys recap their City2Bay and their shoe choices. They then chat about the future of healthcare education and the role social media content plays...

They then move onto the main topic of building a program to reduce injuries and the considerations involved. They go over:

- how and why they add gym into the program

- considerations for increasing load

- programming safely for tendon vs bone risks

- the importance of individuality

they finish off with teasing the next episode and what they have coming up in racing and clinical life...

Season 2, Episode 1: Exercise, Sport & Health Podiatry - Training Specificity

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0930

Matt Clarke and Michael Nitschke are back on the pod wavelengths.

Matt is back from his overseas racing tour after running an 8:16 steeplechase and discusses the struggles adapting to longer workouts as he targets the City2Bay.

Mike chats about the clinical landscape of SPARC whilst Matt was gone and how many athletes he has seen have been embracing balancing niggles to keep up fitness.

The duo discuss and contrast the benefits of training specificity in running. How and why being specific helps, and also when a broader approach may provide important aspects of programming.

They touch on the much anticipated ASICS MEGABLAST and compare it with the Superblast, answering a divided opinion... which is truly softer?

Finally they chat about the their shoe choice for the upcoming City2Bay before teasing the next episode of the series...

Exercise & Sports Podiatry: Episode 3, Professional Cyclist, Jimmy Whelan

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +1030

Matt and Mike return for another episode of E&SP.

They recap their week which includes:
- Michael coaches Cael Mulholland to his first Australian singlet at World Cross Country to be held in Bathurst, Australia
- Matt runs 3:42 for a 1500m at VMC and places 2nd to Cam Myers, the first time Matt has been beaten by an athlete a decade younger than him!

James 'Jimmy' Whelan joins as the show's first guest.
- Jimmy is a professional cyclist (and previous runner) who is well known for his fast rise into the professional cycling ranks
- He has rode the Giro d'Italia and has placed 2nd in Australian Road Cycling Championships in 2022

The panel discusses:
- Life as a pro cyclist and Jimmy's journey getting there
- Breaking into professional teams
- Altitude training
- Cycling training loads
- Running and injury prevention for cycling
- Managing injuries on the bike
- Cycling orthotic and shoe technology

You can follow Jimmy on:
Instagram: @jimmywhelan.jpeg
Twitter: @JimmyWhelan
Strava: https://www.strava.com/pros/3356275

Exercise & Sports Podiatry, Episode 2: Managing and Minimizing Time Off Running

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 15:00:00 +1030

Matt and Mike delve into numerous considerations for reducing time off for runners and if so how to manage return to run programs.

They also go through some of their early running journey and how much of that experience help them today as runners, coaches and clinicians.

Matt will race at the Victorian Miler's Club (VMC) 1500m A race on Tuesday 24th January. You can head to the VMC facebook page for a live stream.

Exercise & Sports Podiatry - Episode 1: Introductions, footwear, orthotics

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:30:00 +1030

Welcome to Exercise & Sports Podiatry!

Episode 1 introduces the hosts, Matt Clarke & Michael Nitschke; runners, podiatrists and coaches. They discuss how and why they entered podiatry, a bit about their own running journey so far and answer some questions on running footwear and orthotics.