Carlie Altmann

"Built to play but still Under Construction" Understanding the Adolescent Foot and Ankle

Adolescent athletes are participating in sport at higher levels and with greater training volumes than ever before, yet the developing foot and ankle remain distinctly different from those of adults. This session will explore the adolescent foot and ankle through a developmental lens, highlighting how growth and maturation influence injury risk, clinical assessment, and rehabilitation. Beyond physical injury, the session will examine the often-overlooked psychological consequences of foot and ankle injuries during adolescence. Emerging evidence demonstrates that factors such as fear of movement, altered body perception, confidence, and trust in the injured limb can influence rehabilitation outcomes and return-to-sport decisions. This session will have a focus on practical age-appropriate history taking and assessments, managing training load, and implementing rehab exercises into an already full lifestyle! Clinical cases and current research will be integrated throughout to translate evidence into everyday practice.
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Carlie Altmann

Carlie Altmann is a clinical podiatrist at Sportsmed in Adelaide, where she works within a multidisciplinary sports medicine team. She has a strong focus on the management of sporting injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, and performance optimisation across active populations.

Carlie has a particular passion for working with adolescents, dancers, and female athletes, and is experienced in managing the unique demands of these groups. Her clinical work is complemented by consulting roles in elite sport (Port Adelaide AFL/AFLW and Adelaide Thunderbirds).

Alongside her clinical practice, Carlie is engaged in research and education. She is currently completing a PhD through the University of Adelaide (formerly University of South Australia), investigating chronic ankle instability in adolescents, with a focus on the perceptual contributors to injury. She has published research in both dance medicine and foot and ankle health, as well as presenting at conferences on lower limb injury and performance.

Carlie has also been actively involved in clinical tutoring, student placement supervision and professional mentoring of podiatrists.

Carlie especially enjoys applying research to a clinical setting, adapting concepts into an easily implemented format to optimise patient outcomes.