Specialized Care Catered to the Demands of Committed Runners: Coming in August 2026
Difference for its own sake
Sierra Performance and Rehabilitation is being created to provide a unique, different experience for runners that provides a comprehensive analysis of all of the factors that go into causing the multitude of injuries that runners can develop. Born out of frustration and discontentment with common physician evaluations and solutions for the runner that walks in the clinic, this program is being created with the sole purpose of being one of the best running specific podiatry clinics for runners to travel to in the United States. The program will aim to encompass all facets of evaluating and treating runners including understanding physical therapy, nutrition, sports psychology, training plan development and return to running, gait analysis, gait retraining, and of course, podiatric conservative and surgical treatment options. Sierra Performance and Rehab is a treatment program that will be housed within Instride Foot & Ankle in Winston-Salem, NC. Patient’s that come in to be treated under the Sierra Performance and Rehab program will fall into one of two camps:
Return-to-Running Program
- Runners returning after injury or surgery
- Anybody needing a clear, step-by-step running progression plan based on experience level
- Anyone currently dealing with or returning from injuries including but not limited to stress injuries, tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, shin splints, and more
Performance & Prevention Program
- New runners that want to prevent injuries and experienced runners that want an evaluation for performance purposes
- Runners who repeatedly get injured during training cycles
- Chronic recurrent injuries including Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, shin splints, patellofemoral stress syndrome, hamstring tendinopathy, and more
What is provided as part of the programs?
There will be slight variation in the assessment and plan that goes into each runner depending on their history and goals of care, but some general things that patients can expect as part of Sierra P&R are:
- Comprehensive runner movement screening
- Training plan analysis to identify potential training errors or identify weak links to target for those looking for performance gains
- Video gait analysis with follow-up gait retraining sessions as needed
- Written personalized return-to-run plans based on injury or surgery, training history, end goals, etc.
- Sample personalized beginner training plans for those looking to begin training while lowering injury risk
- Personalized strength training recommendations
- Nutrition assessment
- Running shoe history assessment
- Built-in follow-ups to monitor training progression and further improve gait retraining for injury risk prevention or increased performance gains
- Further information to come in summer 2026!
“Do you only treat foot and ankle injuries?”
As a podiatrist, I only treat foot and ankle injuries via invasive conservative (i.e. injections) or surgical options. However, many common overuse knee, hip, or even lower back aches and pains that come from running can be alleviated with a thorough physical assessment, physical therapy applications and recommendations, training load modifications, or biomechanical recommendations through gait analysis and retraining to help improve strength, mobility, and movement patterns to help you feeling and moving better. If you’re unsure, book an appointment and I’ll see what I can do to help.
“There are many providers that perform gait analysis and retraining, what makes you different?”
Up until now, gait analysis and retraining is a domain that has mostly been owned by physical therapists and many in the running-related research community that provide the literature that their practices are built off. Most of this historically has been built off of chasing metrics (i.e. cadence of 180 steps per minute), implementing cues to reorient the runner’s perception of how they’re running (i.e. try running “softer”), or pursuing narrow-spectrum goals (i.e. land on your forefoot). My approach to gait analysis is to combine what I am seeing first through a comprehensive physical exam assessing strength and mobility and then see how those factors come into play through your running. In gait retraining, my goal is not for the runner to reach any set metrics but to get them moving, from head to toe, in a more anatomic and fluid movement pattern that is most conducive to decreasing their injury risk and improving their efficiency.
Surgical Deformities We Offer Treatment Options For:
- Bunions
- Foot and Ankle arthritis
- Foot and Ankle fractures
- Ankle Sprains
- Hammertoes
- Neuromas
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Flatfeet deformities
- And much more!
How can I learn more?
Contact me via email at antoniosierra2203@gmail.com or follow my Substack, “PEAKS” where I write about running-related content and general life principles for high-achieving individuals.