Gait analysis - just an excuse to sell you more expensive shoes?!? I better be bouncing like Tigger!

[RichRunsSlowly]

Been stuck on week 4 for nearly 3 weeks now, due to work, illness and the World Cup but planning to finally put it to bed tomorrow.

Anyway I felt it was time to finally invest in some proper running shoes and went and had the much recommended 'gait analysis. After much amusement on behalf of the staff as I had never run on a treadmill before and found it bonkers experience, it turns out my left foot pronated outwards by about 10 degrees (I don't know if that is alot). Funnily enough there isn't a specific shoe for pronating left foot, it just knocked out all the cheap and mid priced shoes and left me with the expensive ones! What a surprise!

Any how being the sucker I am they managed to convince me to purchase some £25 insoles to go inside them too. I better be bouncing like Tigger on my first run in them tomorrow!

[Katiepops Graduate]

Oh dear, I would hope they didn’t try rip off tactics. I had gait analysis, found out my feet rotated onto the inner edge. Even I could see it on the video. Best shoes they had for me were £45 off in the sale! I guess the moral is.....well I don’t actually know what the moral is, but hopefully your new shoes will bounce you through the rest of C25K! Enjoy and good luck. 🏃‍♂️

[Kamia Graduate]

Let us know how they perform, I’m considering gait analysis but the prices make me shudder. I don’t really like trainers (but need them for running) so even the thought of spending that much on a pair stresses me. Now shoes or boots that’s another matter 😃

[_SimonT_ Graduate]

Hopefully they will be worth it. Your trainers are the only necessary investment in this whole running malarkey and can protect you from injury.

What kind are they?

Tradition dictates that you post a pic of your new runners! Can you add them to your post? 📷😃

[mrrun Graduate]

There are so many places offering gait analysis, many of them good, some probably not as good. I suffered knee and ankle injuries and went to a sports shop/lab where they established what l suspected, my structure was mangled. They offered top shoes and the ones that they fitted were way below the top end price. I spent some extra on custom cut insoles and, lo and behold, a year or so later no injuries and a half marathon completed. Something, somewhere, worked!

[AnnieW55]

As mrrun says some places are better than others and hopefully you have been given the correct advice. Did they say you can take them back if not satisfied? Link below has lots of advice including about gait analysis Kamia . I hope it's not a case of stable door for you RichRunsSlowly and your new shoes will turn out to be "the ones"

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Forestgrump Graduate]

I’m of the ilk that unless your having problems I wouldn’t bother.

I did the first 4 weeks in a pair of manky old 5 ten mountain bike shoes before my wife after much nagging went out and got me a pair of brooks for £45 at that discount online running shop a lot of folk go to here... I forget the name of it 🤔.

Ok so the running shoes feel like bouncing on air after the other shoes but other than that I feel no different. I guess everyone’s different but I won’t be getting analysed anytime soon .

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to Forestgrump]

Sounds like you may have a neutral gait (like me), if so any cushioning neutral shoes will be fine. A clue is no pain from “ordinary” trainers.

[Millsie-J Graduate]

If you happen to have a ‘neutral ‘ gait and happen to pick up a good brand ‘neutral’ shoe at a non running specialist discount high street store, time to celebrate.

Some of us are not quite so lucky and have to take more care in shoe selection, particularly when regularly running longer distances.

Each to their own.

[Pete1w Graduate]

Well you're lucky the staff took the time to analyse your gait and recommend something to fix your wonky left foot. I was told all was well but my Achilles still isn't up to running. Maybe I just went in to the wrong shop on the wrong day

[Rumour Graduate]

We always use Sweatshop for our running stuff at the moment. They were brilliant and although the difference seems just to be more comfort, what you don't see and feel is the extra protection from injury. Yes it is still possible to pick up an injury, but less prone with the correct shoes. Think of it this way. Your foot has to deal with up to seven times your body weight as it lands when running. Those who are just running in fashion trainers or other such footwear are storing up problems for later in life.

I love my Adidas Boost with gold plated insoles. No more shin splints and no more ankle strains.

[Hidden in reply to Rumour]

I had a really bad experience with Sweatshop- they totally ripped me off! It’s funny isn’t it how everyone has a different experience- I guess it varies from branch to branch. Unfortunately it’s made me a bit wary of gait analysis.

[Antilala2018 Graduate]

I completed C25K last year in cheap and cheerful trainers but had persistent problems with my hips and knee that slowed me from regular 6ks to an eventual stand still. I treated myself to a gait analysis and new shoes at specialist shop.

They showed me videos of my gait in my old shoes and new, and there was a very pronounced difference in my shape (over pronation). So it was a no brainer for me.

Last year the damage was done unfortunately. So my new shoes were shelved until this spring when I started again and so far so good. I will always consider it money well spent if you suspect you may have a problem with your feet. They take a pounding after all.

Good luck on your next run 😁