College of Podiatry Logo
JOIN NOW LOGIN

Podiatric Sports Medicine

Royal College of Podiatry Specialist Advisory Group

Motto: Inspiring clinical excellence through science & innovation, thinking beyond biomechanics

What is Podiatric Sports Medicine?

As a formal specialty within the podiatry profession, Podiatry Sports Medicine (PSM) is relatively new and still in its infancy. Historically, clinicians have referred to themselves as Sports Podiatrists due to their association with sportsmen as their patient group, but they have had no formal qualifications or training in PSM.

Find out more about the history of podiatric sports medicine, including the role that the 2012 London Olympics played in its evolution, in this paper by the Podiatric Sports Medicine Specialist Advisory Group Chair, Nat Padhiar.

Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM)
 
In the UK, Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) exists as a specialty in medicine and an academic qualification in SEM has been offered for the last four decades in the UK. In order to identify and differentiate from SEM which is primarily practised by medical doctors, sports medicine practised by a podiatrist has been termed Podiatric Sports Medicine in order to give it its own identity.

Find out more about the history of sports and exercise medicine in articles from BASEM Today, edited by Nat Padhiar. Winter 2021

Scope of practice

Management of common and uncommon musculoskeletal foot, ankle and leg disorders encountered in sport as well as within an active population, in terms of diagnosis and differential diagnosis based on knowledge of conditions, knowledge of anatomy, good history-taking, clinical examination confirmed by investigations and then a structured plan of management. Justification is based on evidence thus encouraging evidence-based practice.
 
The decision-making process is also an important part of the scope, especially at the elite and professional end of the sports spectrum.

Membership

The Podiatric Sports Medicine Specialist Advisory Group (PSM SAG) is open to all Members/Fellows of the Royal College of Podiatry that meet one of the following criteria:

  • Hold a Post-graduate Certificate (PGC), Diploma or an MSc in PSM or equivalent qualification that is related to sport
  • Are employed or affiliated to a sports team or organisation
  • Have part of their working week devoted to looking after sportsmen and women
  • Are involved in teaching or lecturing in sports-related subjects
  • Work within a mulitdisciplinary sports medicine, clinic or team.

How to join

If you are a member of the Royal College of Podiatry, meet one of the above criteria and would like to join PSM SAG, please download the application form. Completed forms and accompanying documentation should be sent to the Membership Secretary, Ms Caoimhe Hoey, by email.

Organisation structure

Chair Dr Nat Padhiar
Vice Chair Mr Liam Stapleton and Mr Abid Hussain
General Secretary Mr Sean Savage and Mr Victor Sowunmi
Membership Secretary Ms Caoimhe Hoey and Ms Amy Curran
Social Secretary Ms Katie Reilly and Mr David Gruhl
Scientific Officers Ms Suzanne Hamilton and Mr Ian Griffiths
Education Officers Mr Dhruv Jogia and Mr Alexander Townsend
Vasyli Award Coordinator Mr Trevor Prior and Ms Fiona Rigby
Marketing and Advertising Officer Ms Olga Jones and Ms Nicola Wilson

Post-graduate education

Podiatric Sports Medicine 

Queen Mary University of London offers PG Dip/MSc in Podiatic Sports Medicine. 

For more information contact:

Sports and exercise medicine courses

There are 22 universities in the UK that offer sports and exercise medicine (SEM) courses, including University College London, see:

13th Podiatric Sports Medicine Conference

The 13th Podiatric Sports Medicine Conference will take place alongside the Royal College of Podiatry Annual Conference at the ICC Birmingham on 27 November 2026.

The theme will be Diagnostic dilemmas and challenges. 

A review of the 2022 conference is available here

Further reading

The recommended reading below includes published journal articles written by members of the Podiatry Sports Medicine Specialist Advisory Group.

Birmingham 2022. Abid Hussain at the Commonweath Games. 
From the IOCP Podiatry Review, Autumn 2022

Run into trouble - by Suzanne Hamilton
Podiatry Now, June 2020
SHARE