About Mhairi
Mhairi performs the gait analysis at the clinic, as this requires a specialist field of expertise and experience. She prescribes foot orthotics, and foot mobilisation therapy, and works on gait retraining and running retraining.
Mhairi graduated from Strathclyde University in 2004 with an honours degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics and graduated from Stafford University with a Masters degree in Clinical Podiatry Biomechanics. She gained a solid foundation of knowledge for body alignment from her experience working as a Prosthetist in Oxford, before changing to a career in Orthotics. Mhairi is experienced in all aspects of Orthotics and has treated a large variety of conditions, such as Spinal injuries, Neuromuscular, Diabetics, and Rheumatology she has always held a keen interest in Foot and Ankle Biomechanics and Sports Orthotics and Biomechanics.
Mhairi Friel’s well-recognised expertise has led her to hold clinics to provide the Biomechanics and Foot and Ankle Service to the Scottish Institute of Sport and works with many of the country’s top athletes, Olympic and Commonwealth Athletes, The Scottish Football Association, Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Rugby and Premier Football Clubs.
Mhairi is also very experienced in treating Military service men and women, and sportsmen and women from a large variety of sporting disciplines, such as sprinting, middle distance running, marathon and ultra-marathon running, racket sports, hill walking, skiing, curling and even bobsleighing.
Mhairi Friel strives to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of modern biomechanical concepts, she has gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Biomechanics as well as MSc Biomechanics. She has an absolute passion to learn and has invested a significant amount of time and finances into further education by regularly attending biomechanics courses and conferences. Her passion for Biomechanics and Foot Orthotics is obvious when presenting on the subject to her peers and her expertise was called on to discuss foot orthotics on BBC Radio Scotland.
Like the rest of the Body, Foot and Leg Clinic Team, Mhairi loves to exercise and promotes a healthy lifestyle. She now regularly enjoys CrossFit-style training and cycling and has traded in her many years of worldly backpacking in favour of the campervan life.