Podiatrist

Ray Harding has been practicing Podiatry in Sydney since 1971. When Biomechanics and Orthotic therapy was introduced from America in 1980 he embarked on a post graduate education program spanning more than 5 years. Learning techniques in managing general foot function to sports and paediatric related problems, Ray was one of the first Podiatrists in Australia to convert his practice to solely biomechanics and orthotic therapy.

In 1988 Ray was one of the founding partners in the Running Clinic at North Sydney recruiting the services of some of Sydneys‚ foremost Podiatrists to address the problems caused by the running boom.

In 1993 Ray moved his practice to Narrabeen Sports Medicine Centre to work with some of Australias‚ best Sports Physicians, Orthopaedic Specialists and Physiotherapists. He works in collaboration with these other health professionals to bring the highest level of assessment and treatment of lower limb pathology. Treating athletes of all ability, both professional and recreational, Ray also enjoys helping children with growing problems and those associated with sporting activities, not to mention the aging community with the increasing demand they place on community services in their bid to remain healthy and fit.

Ray employs the latest technology to assess and treat his patients, utilising computerised pressure plate gait assessment, treadmill video gait and track assessments as well as bicycle set up to optimise cycling biomechanics. For orthotic manufacture Ray uses a cad-cam laboratory and a scanning camera instead of old fashioned plaster casts. The orthotics are ground to prescription by a computer controlled drilling gig from a sold piece of plastic. This makes the orthotics super light and thin, but very strong. For football boots and those needing soft orthotics or less control, Ray uses premade Formthotics‚ and EVA shells fashioned by the cad-cam laboratory.

Years ago Ray put together a Recommended Sports Shoe List to help other health professionals and their patients as well as members of the public sort out which sport shoe is best for them from the hundreds on offer in the retail outlets. This list is updated every six months from information provided by the shoe companies and their representatives, retail outlets and feedback from athletes. Look for the list on this web site.

Ray is the President and Fellow of the Australasian Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and a member of Sports Medicine Australia. He attends their conferences on a regular basis. Ray is a Past President of the Australian Podiatry Association NSW and Past President of the NSW Podiatrists Registration Board, a position he held for over fifteen years. He is Chairman of the Registration Board Professional Currency Committee which instigated and manages the mandatory continuing education requirements for the Podiatry profession. He is also one of the founding directors of the Australian Podiatric Biomechanics Association. He has lectured extensively on lower limb biomechanics, assessment and casting techniques and has a regular succession of Podiatry students on clinical placement at Narrabeen.

Ray has played a variety of sports including competition squash and tennis. Unfortunately, following a knee injury from skiing at age 16 and subsequent surgery, Ray is now limited to bushwalking and golf, when time allows and working out in his home gym.

Ray Harding - Podiatrist MAPodA FAAPSM