Gait Analysis

[ClarriePan]

Discuss😄😉

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[mrrun Graduate10]

Not once did they mention insoles. That was my problem and the cause of my injuries. Once l got insoles cut to size and made for me, my issues were no more. And l bought the shoes that fit me perfectly. Where and how did l do all that? In a sports lab by the people who specialise in gait analysis.

[pinkaardvark Graduate10]

This has been discussed several times before, i'm certainly in the comfort camp and suspect that the whole gait analysis "industry" is as much about selling overpriced shoes than helping people. The people in the shops generally have the best intent but the training they have is minimal and directed somewhat by the manufacturers. As mrrun suggests a proper orthopedic professional is a better bet as they should fully understand your gait and be able to support your issues with orthotics or suggest the correct strengthening exercises to get you back to a more neutral form.

The one problem I see in buying purely on comfort is that comfort is ideal for shorter runs, but as the distance increases you need a bit of stiffer support and I don't see how you can predict that based on comfort alone in a shop when running for a minute or so.

A lot of people go from awful cheap broken shoes to a shop, get gait analysis and then believe they have been sold a miracle. I suspect they just get sold a shoe that isn't knackered and is appropriate for running. I have some mild support shoes and some neutral ones and don't find much difference, I don't overpronate much but do have a small "flick" on the left side.

[ClarriePan in reply to pinkaardvark]

Thank you pinkaardvark for putting into words my unconstructed thoughts on this subject. I agree with everything you said 😄👍

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

Like our On Cloudflyers you mean?

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I had gait analysis when I bought my cloudflyers. However they didn't even suggest them to me, but were keen to sell me some asics gt-1000s which arguably were comfy but weren't really what I wanted. So I wasn't an ideal customer as I went in wanting cloudflyers, and came away with cloudflyers lol. The On shoes don't really fit into the neutral/over pro/support sales model, I think they just make one shoe for all.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

The cloudflyers are actually mild support, suitable for neutral feet as well. I think it depends on the shop. I was lucky with Up and Running, they are brilliant and didnt push shoes. They are all runners themselves and keen to help - do lots of charity runs etc, which I intend to join some time. But the point I was making is that you bought expensive shoes 😊

[Rignold]

I suspect Pink is close to the mark here for the vast majority of us. Yes there are some people who pronate or supinate a lot, for whom it makes a great deal of difference, but a.) they are outliers- as with anything the middle of the bell curve is where the majority sit (or jog), and b.) if you have dramatically fallen arches or whatever, chances are you are already aware of it.

The ‘thou must get gait analysis ‘ dictat has entered C25k lore along with a lot of other essentially Broscience ‘rules’, largely because no-one ever really questions it too deeply.

[Hidden]

Hard for me to say as I have neutral gait and midfoot strike. However, the man who did my gait analysis filmed me too, and he was very knowledgable. He picked up, for example, the fact that I throw my right foot slightly to compensate for my weak, fractured femur leg, and he gave me exercises to correct it and strengthen the weak leg. My sister was a physio for much of her working life and advised gait analysis and properly fitted shoes. My GP, who I think is herself a runner, also recommended gait analysis. Last time I had it done, it picked up the improvement in my throwing leg. I know several people who have run in comfortable off the peg running shoes, had aches etc that disappeared after correct gait analysis and. a change of shoe. This is one of those topics that does the rounds, with people falling into one camp or another mostly. Ive heard that none of this applies to trail shoes. Well we are all ‘experts’ when we believe something passionately enough, so I doubt if the debate will ever be settled. Now, Mac versus Windows anyone? Leave versus Remain?

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

What made me question it all was the CEO of brooks trainers basically saying it was old fashioned and not the way they thought shoes should be sold. They are the kings of selling trainers through that mechanism so it really made me wonder. I agree about professionals being able to pick things up, but i'm also aware that professionals recommend stuff vehemently right up to the point where they change their minds. Like smoking while pregnant The studies are out there that show runners using shoes recommended through gait analysis suffer no fewer injuries than use who didn't bother, whereas those who purchased solely on comfort do incur fewer injuries.

Rignold is right about the bell curve, most of us don't need it. But some with clear mecahnical issues(due to your knee surgery) clearly benefit from help. I'd just argue that the best person to help is an ortho or well trained physio, and someone in a shop may help, but may also do harm due to poor training.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

I havent had knee surgery!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Oh sorry, I thought you were like the bionic women. Or is it just the steve austen eye you have

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

I suppose strictly speaking I had surgery on it, as it was split to the bone and had to be stitched up. It was the same accidents that fractured my femur. I have a stainless steel ,kunschner nail through my femur, which caused no end of fun at Reykjavik airport last November (the new ones are titanium).

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

You can get coloured kuntscher nails too. Just saying, in case you want to accessorize

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

Ooh, now youre talking! Could have one with rainbow butterflies to match my Tikiboo leggings! Mind you, I doubt if they’d get the nail out now, it’s been there 52 years ...

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Maybe when you get the hip replaced

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

😂😂😂 cheeky bugger. I shall belt you round the head with my zimmer frame if I catch you

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

The cynic in me says Brooks know they will sell more shoes if people buy off the peg and online.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

Plus they base their whole ethos on different shoes for diffwrent gaits, neautral, under and over pronation - which requires analysis to assess.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

You see, that’s the bit I dont understand. When I had my gait tested, he brought out several pairs of neutral shoes, then carefully felt my feet, watched me run, asked me how they felt. The ones I came home with just disappeared on my feet, and he said the right ones are the ones tnat feel as they arent there. Maybe, probably, I could have come to that pount without the gait analysis, but it narrowed it down to the ones that suited my way of running. If I under or over pronated, then I have no idea what the outcome would have been. Im very glad to have had someone help who was experienced and knew what to look for, including the right amount of space round my toes - something I find hard to judge myself.

Anyway, sorry to have soread this out over several responses. I dont have a set and final opinion on this, but I do know the gait analysis session helped me choose shoes. And tney werent special support shoes for my knee or anything - my gait is dead neutral and I land on fore to mid foot, certainly not heel.

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10]

As I state in this guide to gait analysis healthunlocked.com/couchto5.... can show you a lot about your gait that you can discover in no other way. I recommend it for all new runners, buying their first running shoes because you just may not be aware of the peculiarities of your gait and sales staff in specialist running shops, not discount sports sheds, tend to know more about running than the new runner.

As others have said, most of us could probably get away with picking any pair of shoes, but why take that gamble early in your running career.

I was highly doubtful about the process until I saw the video showing the difference that appropriate shoes made to alignment of my knee and ankle joints. Are yours vertically above one another when you run?