Care Grounded in Research
At Foot Systems, clinical decisions are informed by current research, including research conducted by our own practitioners.
Our team includes a PhD-qualified researcher published in peer-reviewed international journals, a podiatrist with a Masters degree in podiatric surgery, and clinicians who are active members of Sports Medicine Australia and the SEPA group.
For patients, this means your personalised treatment plan reflects what the evidence actually supports, not what's always been done.
Why Research-Led Care Matters for Patients
Clinical research moves faster than clinical practice.
Studies regularly overturn what was previously considered standard treatment and patients who receive care at practices that kept pace may be receiving approaches that the evidence has moved on from.
A few examples relevant to conditions we treat:
Achilles tendinopathy
The older approach of rest and anti-inflammatories is not supported by current evidence. Progressive tendon loading, prescribed correctly, produces better outcomes. This is what we prescribe.
Plantar fasciopathy
Still commonly called plantar fasciitis, but the terminology matters clinically.
It is primarily a load-related degenerative condition, not an inflammatory one. Treatments targeting inflammation alone have limited effectiveness for chronic presentations.
Footwear prescription
Footwear is not an afterthought in treatment. It is a clinical intervention with measurable outcomes. Our approach to footwear advice is informed by published research, gait analysis data from our RS Scan pressure plate, and Madeleine's extensive background in athletic footwear assessment.
Active Professional Memberships
Our practitioners are active members of:
Australian Podiatry Association (APodA)
Our membership with the Australian Podiatry Association reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of podiatry practice through ongoing professional development and evidence-based care.
Sports + Exercise Podiatry Australia
Dedicated to advancing sports and exercise podiatry, SEPA connects us with the latest research and best practice in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of lower limb injuries.
Sports Medicine Australia
Sports Medicine Australia provides access to the latest evidence in sports injury management, helping us deliver current, evidence-based treatment for all Australians individuals.
Active membership means attending conferences, engaging with current research, and applying new evidence to clinical practice. It is not a logo on a website.
Advanced Qualifications & Research
Dr Narelle Wyndow
PhD Research
Narelle holds a PhD and is an active researcher with over 42 peer-reviewed publications to her name. Her doctoral research focused on footwear and orthotic interventions for people with patellofemoral osteoarthritis, one of the most common and undertreated causes of knee pain.
Her research was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Queensland and
La Trobe University, and was funded by the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) - Australia's peak body for health and medical research funding.
This study compared foot orthoses combined with prescribed footwear against footwear alone in people with patellofemoral osteoarthritis.
Both groups showed meaningful reductions in pain, with high intervention adherence, findings that directly inform how we approach footwear and orthotic prescription for patients with knee and foot osteoarthritis at Foot Systems.
Published research:
Wyndow N, Crossley K, Vicenzino B, Tucker K, Collins N. (2021). Foot Orthoses and Footwear for the Management of Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Randomized Trial. Arthritis Care & Research, 73. doi: 10.1002/acr.24098
Madeleine Murray
MSc
Madeleine completed her Bachelor of Podiatry with Honours at Queen Margaret University in the UK, followed by a Master of Science in the Theory of Podiatric Surgery at Glasgow Caledonian University (2016–2019).
Her Masters thesis investigated the effect of minimally invasive surgery in the management of common forefoot pain.
This research background gives Madeleine an understanding of surgical options for forefoot conditions, which in practice means she can identify when conservative management is likely to succeed, when it isn't, and when a surgical referral is genuinely warranted. Patients with forefoot pain, bunions, or conditions that have been suggested for surgery benefit from that level of clinical reasoning before any decisions are made.
Madeleine also brings over five years of experience working within a leading technical athletic shoe store in the UK, giving her hands-on expertise in performance footwear assessment that complements her clinical training.
Confrences & Professional Contributions
Narelle Wyndow - Australian Podiatry Association Conference (APodA 2025)
Narelle presented a hands-on workshop titled "Assess, Align & Activate: A Multimodal Strategy to Assess & Manage Foot & Ankle OA.
"The workshop demonstrated clinical applications of plantar pressure assessment, condition-specific footwear, and neuromuscular techniques for foot and ankle osteoarthritis management - drawing directly on her research expertise and the assessment technology used at Foot Systems.
Narelle Wyndow - ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference (ASICS SMA 2025)
Poster Showcase "The Validity of a New Mobile App Method for Assessing Midfoot Shape and Mobility Measures" Narelle Wyndow & ASICS development collaboration.
Madeleine Murray - ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference (ASICS SMA 2025)
Madeleine was an invited presenter at the Trail Running Symposium ("Treating the Trailblazer"), alongside a curated panel of elite athlete-podiatrists including a two-time Olympian and an Australian Marathon Champion. The symposium explored the biomechanical demands, common pathologies, load management, and footwear considerations specific to trail running.
Hayley Openshaw: CPD Coordinator (SEPA)
Hayley Openshaw is the current CPD Coordinator for Sports and Exercise Podiatry Australasia (SEPA) and a member of the organisation’s Leadership Team. In this role, Hayley works alongside fellow SEPA leaders to coordinate events and develop continuing professional development opportunities for podiatrists across Australasia, helping support ongoing education and advancement within sports and exercise podiatry.
Madeleine Murray - SEPA NZ Roadshow: Trail Running Symposium. (SEPA 2026)
Madeleine Murray was an invited Keynote speaker at the Best of SEPA NZ Roadshow: Trail Running Symposium in Christchurch, sharing her expertise as both a senior podiatrist and trail runner. The symposium brought together leading clinicians and athletes to explore the unique demands of trail running, including biomechanics, common injuries, load management, footwear considerations, and performance.
What This Means When You Book an Appointment
You will be assessed by a podiatrist whose clinical decisions are informed by current research, including, in some cases, research they have personally conducted. Your treatment plan will reflect what the evidence supports for your specific condition, your activity level, and your goals.
If you have been managing a foot or lower limb condition for some time without resolution, or if you have been given advice that doesn't seem to be working, a second opinion from a research-informed clinician is worth considering.