To Gait or not to Gait?

[Rayblade900]

Hi everyone. Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject as I'm still a new runner.

I've heard so much about the recommendation of a Gait Analysis and was all set to get it done, especially in the light of increasing my distance ultimately to 10K.

However, the flaming Internet is throwing up conflicting reports that it's a waste of time and not conclusive (now I'm confused)!!!

The only reason I'm putting on out to the jury is that I'm not on an unlimited budget as a lot of stores charge for this service and running shoes are soooo expensive. Yes, some offer free if you buy shoes. However, I don't want injuries and my first pair of running shoes I might add are really comfortable, are now wearing out on the sole... 6 months old and were fairly cheap (Karrimor) as I didn't want to shell out lots of cash in case I didn't continue.

Also, did the basic "wet foot" test and appears I'm "neutral"... not knock-knee'd or bow-legged!! 🤣

Thanks in advance of your feedback.

Update: 14/7 10:00 am

Booked a gait analysis tomorrow morning at Runners Need.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

There are 2 sides to everything, we went last year, Willow has knee pain, he bought running shoes after his gait analysis and his knee pain was instantly less, I was desperate to have fancy new trainers, I’d been running in ebay bought Reeboks but several pairs were wearing thin, told I have a neutral gait and tried several pairs, dutifully running up and down the road outside in them, chose what felt like comfy cushions first run in them calves ached, persevered after all they cost a lot, I switch my shoes around and over time realised I really do run a little faster in the remaining ebay pair, Willow still loves his and a year later we look at them but still life in them, I still switch mine and run faster with less aches in cheaper shoes. The moral of this is, if you are comfy in what you have buy another pair, if you can afford it get your gait analysis because what you buy might be better That was all a bit pointless and may not help you decide

Good luck finding the right shoes

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Hi WillowandSola. You guys are so friendly and thank you for your feedback. It's like anything... buy cheap, buy twice etc. My main concern is log term injury due to cheap shoes and or buying the wrong ones. I've read Ian's buying shoes guide on this forum and watched a few YouTube "experts" but there comes a point you take in too much information. I'm a motorcycle salesman and certainly wouldn't advocate someone rides with a cheap helmet for several reasons. So whilst my cheap shoes are comfortable I really don't know if they are correct... oh the dilemma 🤭.

Guess I'll have to go for the test and see what they say.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Rayblade900]

I’m sure I’ve heard that once you know which are the most suitable shoes you can get a better deal on internet

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

We are all so different and making the right decision is tricky! I did the wet foot test when I started in 2015... also neutral. I researched and researched and bought my first pair in a sale online... I did not know then if I would be able to do run even.

But...perfect, I have four pairs... ( keep two in Wales at my caravan, and two at home), Two road and two trail... all the same make.. never paid full price as I don't mind weird colours or end of ranges

Never had a blister( finger crossed or black toenails

BUT... that is just my experience... so maybe choose a decent pair for your running routes.. not too expensive ( check the sales ) and see how you go?

Any help?

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss. I've given up on Internet reviews as I'm a cynical salesman and many YouTubers are just cashing in on a bonus from the product.The best advice I've read currently was on runners World and unbiased.

Tempting to order a pair online but then you really need to try them on. Think I've just got to bite the bullet and visit a specialist running store. Cheers for your thoughts.

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate in reply to Rayblade900]

I only use runner site related advice..never sales reviews..

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate in reply to Rayblade900]

I only use creditable running sites for advice and always buy from a, try on, return free of charge.

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Well, I've just booked my gait analysis tomorrow morning with runners need in Leicester. Really helpful staff member on the phone, so a good start.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

I’ve always gone to a specialist running shop for my shoes, I always am given a free gait analysis and opportunity to run in store on their treadmill. I do expect to Fay about £120 and mine only last max 6 months as I cover so many miles. I only wear them for running. Expect to get between 600 and 80 km. remember the wear could be internal cushioning. How do I justify the cost - since running I’ve had no gym membership to pay, I wear a limited amount of very cheap but breathable running kit. Hope you find what suits you. Happy running 🤗

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Thanks Grannyhugs. I'm not tight, I just don't have unlimited funds and begrudge paying for something inflated with a name and want value for money. I not vain that I want to wear the latest flash trainers. My inexpensive first pair of Karrimor shoes are great but bought them blind.

I have just started to get an ache below my knees but that could be because I'm gradually increasing my distance or just getting older! 🤭

Could be a sign my shoes are wearing or inappropriate!!

[Grannyhugs Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

Please don’t ever feel you have to pay more than you want to for running shoes, if I still had gym membership I’d be loathed to pay these crazy prices, I’m a true Scot, and an Aberdonian to boot. You’ve no idea the state of the rest of my running kit😂😂

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

I just begrudge paying ridiculous sums for a product that is probably so cheap to manufacturer. More of a fashion statement and not into that these days.Remember Gerald Ratner saying H Samuel's "because it's cr*p"!! 🤣

[Speedy60 Graduate10]

If you live near a Runnersneed, they do free gait analysis and I can attest there is no heavy pressure to buy - I had an appointment two weeks ago and didn't buy. 😊

As for the usefulness, I'm not convinced. Firstly, it's only as good as the person doing it; unless you go to a trained professional, you could end up with the Saturday boy. Secondly, I'm convinced I run differently on a treadmill, no matter how I try to relax into it.

Having said all that, I've been down the route of buying cheaper shoes. I have two pairs that I just don't get on with - the cost of those two pairs together equals the cost of the relatively expensive Ons shoes I now run in and love. 🤷‍♀️ The guy who did my gait analysis said he thought they may not be the best pair for my gait, but I've been running for two and a half years, up to half marathon distance with no major problems so far. 🤞

If you try some on in a shop and find a brand/fit that suits you, you could always try the sale section of sportsshoes.com. They have some bargains if you don't mind last year's styles. 😱😉 Their customer service and returns are very good too.

Also, can you see from the shoes you've been wearing how you where you have worn the soles? That might give you some idea of whether you're a neutral runner or not.

Good luck

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

Hi Speedy60... great advice! Thank you. Yes, I was in the same mindset of "it's only as good as the person administering the test" and that's part of my concern. Don't want to be "sold into" a pair of shoes because the stores on a bonus to push them etc (I'm a cynical salesman myself)!

I have reached and there's a Runnersneed not too far from me in Leicester so think I'll make an appointment and just see how it goes.

I'm not vain so don't need the latest, coolest or brightly coloured 😀

Top man... Best to you.

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

Hi Speedy60. Took your advice and booked into Runners Need tomorrow morning 👍

[Speedy60 Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

Excellent. Good for you! Let us know how you get on.

I used the one in Bristol. They certainly weren't pushy, but obviously they only recommend what they have in stock. I walked away without spending anything, but a good shop must know the better service they give, the more likely you are to return.

Good luck 👍

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

That's always been my mantra and ethos with my customers.Good customer service is important.

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

Hi Speedy60. New post just now on my Gait Analysis this morning. I said to the assistant that I'm sure I run differently on the road, so like you said yesterday. In answer to your question about wear on my existing shoes, it is mainly in the centre/ball of your foot. So I know I'm not a heel striker. Cheers.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

I think they give you £20 discount if you trade in old pair - they don’t have to be bought from them. At least they used to

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Ok. Thanks for that. I intended to take my current pair anyway so they could analyse the tread and how my foot is landing.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

Good idea. 1st time I went to runners need they told me my shoes were fine and to come back in a couple of months

[oldcanary]

Me again! And where to start with my limited experience. Not had gait analysis but then i only started this year. I have only just moved onto a road shoe ( actually 2 prs as i have been struggling to dry everything in the wet we have been having). In reality cheap or more expensive i have been wearing shoes out just as quickly but i have finally managed to ditch Karrimoor really because of the weight difference. Having come over form walking a lot, i didnt mind the weight difference between say karrimoor and salomon. I was always aware and would use salomon for a longer walk, but under 10 k it didnt seem to worry me too much. I started the running journey in Salomon trail shoes, part off road and part on, they are reasonably cheap in the sale, but couldnt begin to run in the K's anymore. I know the purists wouldnt approve but i have done some offroad intervals in Salomon walking boots as well to get through the mud. Even the boots are lighter than my K trek shoes.Because of the wet and doing more road running (the off road has disappeared under 6ft nettles!) i bought reeboks and asics blind, old stock sale prices, and the reeboks have felt great- only 40-50k in so early days. Tried the asics for the first time last night and didnt like the feel of the road at the start of the run but by the end of 9k, didnt really notice them and finished quite strongly on a tough uphill, so will persevere with them. The other 2 i ran with swear by their asics, but guess the important thing is everyone is different.

As for pain, i think at our age we are probably stuck with slightly worn out bodies. i would say the least pain has been with Reeboks, but think every run has some pain involved, but mine tends to move about, at the moment it seems somewhat in my hips( always had bad knees from a teen) , as long as the pain is moving i hope it isnt damage and just bodily adjustment to the new shapes i am forcing it into. It is all work in progress

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to oldcanary]

Hi oldcanary. I certainly didn't feel my age (until I started running) 🤣They say blokes never grow up!

Re: shoes

This is why I don't want to make a mistake. You can try the on but until you start running, it's a gamble and you clearly can't take them back.

My knee aren't as bad this morning so just hope it's the slightly more gruelling workout and they get used to it.

Cheers.

[Speedy60 Graduate10 in reply to oldcanary]

I'm also a big walker and have two pairs of berghaus boots, but I don't think I could run in them, they don't have enough give and I'd be worried about getting shin splints (but I do run on tarmac or cinder tracks).

Weight isn't the only difference; it's also the drop, instep support for over-pronators and support for the extra forces you place on the ball and heel when running. If it's working for you, go for it. The guy who did my gait analysis showed me that I have one neutral foot but my right foot over pronates (paid up member of the awkward squad 🤣) He said I might get away with it for a while, but if I want to run longterm, I should think about support shoes. As I'm 61, I don't take anything for granted anymore. I want every extra year I can get!

[Hidden]

Hi. It’s a dilemma and, as often happens, gets more confusing the more research you do. I have two different experiences of shoe buying to share - my own and for my daughter who has just started her C25K.

Due to a pre-existing condition, I knew I needed to err on the side of caution when upgrading my basic trainers that I’d worn to start C25k. I went to a run shop for gait analysis and received great advice from the member of staff. I bought the trainers that felt right. They weren’t the most expensive but not cheap either. I returned for trail shoes last year and found my gait had changed, going from support to neutral. Both shoes are great and I interchange them depending on surface.

My daughter started C25K a couple of weeks ago to get her fitness levels up for her Gold Duke of Edinburgh. We went to Decathlon where they have a treadmill you can use to try out various trainers. I filmed her feet in slo-mo as she ran, just as an extra guide. She chose a pair of Decathlon’s own make, a hybrid style which allows her to run both road and trail. She’s very happy with them and price wise they were very reasonable. If she gets hooked on running she can upgrade 😊.

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Delly-dot and great advice - thank you. It's like any hobby. You buy basic cheap stuff first (unless you're loaded) in case you don't like it. That's why if I'm going to sink in a few quid I need to get this right.

Think I just need to bite the bullet, go and get a gait analysis and see how I fare.

Thanks to you and everyone for your views... great supportive bunch 👍👏

[Cmoi Graduate10]

I bought my current running shoes from a small local specialist running shop here in France. No treadmill running, just detailed observation and questioning. The salesperson spent almost an hour with me, evaluating and checking my needs in detail, and insisting that I went out and ran in several pairs of shoes to check which I preferred.

Once I'd settled on a pair, he attached a smart-tag before sending me out to run again. The tag results were analysed, he did more checks, and reviewed everything with me. Brand names and models were never mentioned, and in fact I didn't even know what I'd bought until after leaving the shop! The quality of advice and service made the shoes worth every penny.

I'm a total cheapskate with running clothes though: most come from Lidl's bargain box, ideally once they've been knocked down to 1 euro. 😜 Then I don't have to worry about getting them torn or muddy when I'm running in the forest or on overgrown paths!🤣

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10]

I've also been running in trainers that I already had for walking. Originally I thought I would get a new pair after a while, but now I've decided I'm happy and comfortable in my current shoes I see no need to change them.

I also turned to runners world for advice and there seem to be quite a few articles saying that there's very little evidence that different types of running shoes either cause or prevent injuries

runnersworld.com/health-inj...

runnersworld.com/health-inj...

For me, I've had pain in my toes in the past which means I choose shoes that are wide across the toes or "foot shaped" for comfort.

Like you, I need to be careful where I put my money. So I'm going down the route of sticking with my comfy trainers unless I get a specific problem that can't be resolved another way.

Going into a shop does mean you'd get to try a few pairs on though.

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

Hi DylanTheRabbit (great name and made me smile). Then you think why that name? 🤣I need to change as my first pair are starting to wear out on the soles and with a 10K in mind took my on the path of more serious running.

Didn't realise it was all so technical.

All the best.

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

I'll be interested to know how you get on, the shoe thing seems unnecessarily technical to me. I agree it can be buy cheap, buy twice, but with trainers there's can be so much hype it's off-putting.

I think I chose Dylan the rabbit because he's so chill and not goal oriented, which is how I'd like my running to be (and I like rabbits and the magic roundabout).

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

Hi DylanTheRabbit. I'll post my experience on here to share for others once completed.

I'm not paying for just a fashion statement 🤔😃

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

Hi DylanTheRabbit. Check out my new post on the Gait Analysis that I did this morning 😀

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

Wow... after reading your links I'm going to just buy a pair of old skool Dunlop Greenflash (80's cheap trainers) or run bare foot!! 🤣Kinda backs up the thought of just paying top dollar for a brand or name!!

Very interesting.

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

I remember Greenflash very fondly, I'm just thinking about the lovely rubbery smell they had when new 🤣

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

We must be of a similar age Doogle 🤣

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

No, I'm wrong... you're younger (just looked at your profile) 😊🙊

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10 in reply to Rayblade900]

Overlapping eras 😁

[Speedy60 Graduate10 in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

Interesting articles. You might change your mind on the shoes after your first bout of plantar fasciitis though. I did. 😟

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

I'll certainly keep a check on how my body/feet are doing and my mind open. I have unfortunately had to get rid of lots of nice shoes, including trainers and slippers that were crushing my toes and giving me excruciating pain. It means I'm now loathe to try anything new on my feet unless I really have to. I hope you're running in comfort now.

[Runningwithhoney]

I’ve been running in vans as it’s all I had! I recently got some £20 trainers from sports direct and they’re fine! No expensive gait analysis etc. That being said, I do have aching knees, shins and ankles which I suspect is from my cheap trainers. I’m due to graduate next week and then I intend to save for some decent trainers. I’ve been looking already and found Brooks give you 3 months guarantee/ run trial, I’ll probably go for those when I can afford to as you can’t argue with that promise! Best of luck, 😊🤞

[Rayblade900 Graduate10 in reply to Runningwithhoney]

Hi Runningwithhoney.As I've stated, I'm pretty new to this and certainly no expert. However, I already appreciate the difference normal trainers vs running shoes make. I bought my Karrimor "Aura" from Sports Direct for £30 as I was just starting out. I had never worn a pair of running shoes in my life. Put them on and thought wow, these are comfortable and the difference in the cushioning of the soles compared to normal trainers is huge. How some run in bare feet or minimal trainers is beyond me, but there are purists out there and probably running for years? When you start out, the risk of injury can be high as people run too fast, don't warm up/down properly etc (no doubt you've read stuff). Also maybe a younger man could have the attitude "I don't need to do all this rubbish" 😀... typical bloke thinking and a general comment... not aimed at you (rant over) 🤦‍♂️. You wear Vans, so possibly younger (now I'm in trouble)? 🤣

Just to label the point, I went for a walk the other day and was wearing a pair of Converse. Halfway through and had this sudden urge to want to run! I must've ran approx 1.5K and was really hard work as the impact on my legs was instantly different. Every stride was so wooden. It wasn't comfortable so I stopped.

Therefore, if you're on a tight budget and can afford £30 I'd thoroughly recommend those (they've been great for me). 6 months in and the sole is starting to wear, which is a shame as the rest of the shoe is in great shape. I'm only changing due to increasing my distance and risk of injury. I'm 54 yrs old and sadly not a young man any more and obviously we all have to work, but the fact is that when you get older it can take longer to heal/recover from injury. To be honest, if it weren't for the fact I'm starting to increase my distance I wouldn't be thinking of buying different shoes. The Karrimors work great. Incidentally "Runners Need" are offering a FREE Gait Analysis with no obligation to buy. Like you, money is tight but equally your health comes first. You get injured, you cannot run.

Also, purely an assumption and an observation, the fact you are reading my post on this forum must mean you are maybe looking to go the next step after completing C25K? You've already stated you're getting aches & pains. Therefore, be careful (I'm not your Dad 😀) and take proper advice from others on here that are more experienced to do so than me!!

Best to you too.