Had my gait analysis!

[rubygloom]

Hi guys,

Well I had my gait analysis done on Tuesday. I went to the Sweatshop in Hatfield and was the only one in there the whole time so I had the lovely assistant all to myself for a full hour!! She didn't put me on the treadmill as I've not run on one before and she wanted me to run naturally, not looking at my feet the whole time, so I ran up and down the shop instead.

I also took in some of my footwear so she could see the wear on them - a pair of boots that I've had for about a year that cave inwards towards each other because the heel is worn at such an angle (abit like all those Uggs you see walking around!). I also took in the trainers that I bought before starting C25K and yes they are rubbish for running in so that was £35 down the drain, and my shins are still suffering because of them!

The assistant confirmed that I have over-pronation and needed some decent support. My feet are also abit of a funny size and shape and just didn't suit some of the running shoes I tried on (about 15 pairs I think!). So of course in the end it turns out that the most expensive ones are the ones that suit me best and give the most support so I waved goodbye to £95 but hello to my proper fab new running shoes!

I haven't worn them out of the house yet as my shins are still hurting. I'm not sure whether to wait until the pain completely goes (but how long will that take!?) or to try to continue with the podcasts. The last time I ran was Saturday when I did W3R1, so I've now missed 2 runs. I might start week 3 again this Saturday and if I end up in more pain then I'll have to give it a longer rest, and just do some calf stretches in the meantime.

Moral of the story: get a gait analysis done, preferably before you have an injury! Lesson learned!

I was looking forward to running in this frosty fresh air. Hope everyone else is doing well x

[Fingalo Graduate]

One of the things I didn't understand when I had mine done is that why, when it appears that most folk over pronate, there is relatively little choice, in comparison with neutral runners?

Also I'm thinking that as we run more and build our muscles, would that not cure the problem anyway and explain that lack of choice?

This is just me thinking out loud as I can see from your experience that you put your injury problem down to it.

[Beads Graduate in reply to Fingalo]

.......when it appears that most folk over pronate, there is relatively little choice, in comparison with neutral runners? .......

For those of us that go the totally opposite direction and under pronate there's no choice at all, we have to have neutral shoes.

........Also I'm thinking that as we run more and build our muscles, would that not cure the problem anyway and explain that lack of choice?......

I'd thought something similar and wondered should it be a yearly thing, getting our gait analysed?

[rubygloom Graduate in reply to Fingalo]

I don't really know Fingalo. I sure hope that the footwear was the cause of the shin splints (although fundamentally the problem is my feet I suppose!) otherwise that will be another £95 down the pan. I had quite alot of choice of shoes for over-proponators (is that a word?) in the shop I was in, although the more supportive ones were obviously the most expensive and would have been out of some peoples league (would have been out of mine at this point in time without a credit card to be honest).

I read conflicting views about shin splints. Some articles I read did say that the muscles would strengthen over time but others said that running causes over pronation to become even more exaggerated and can lead to fractures eventually. I've since read that the tendency to over proponate is more to do with having flat feet than anything else so then I question whether any amount of muscle building can change that..?

I ran through the pain for 3 runs hoping that I would get over it but after my last run I was in agony and limped all of the way home!

[Beads Graduate]

Maybe we need to swap shoes (normal shoes that is, not the running ones), mine are all worn down on the outside!

Good luck with your new shoes when you get out in them!

[rubygloom Graduate in reply to Beads]

Hahah, good call!

Thanks - I hope they'll do the trick!

[Ribena]

I need to go and get fitted for good supportive trainers. I know I overpronate a little, I should have stocked up on superfeet insoles when I was on the other side of the pond.

[Fingalo Graduate]

I like the idea of an online trainers exchange, where oppositely biased runners are swapping worn shoes....

[greenlegs Graduate]

I read somewhere that flat feet are probably, at least in part, the result of children being put in shoes too early - the longer they are allowed to stay barefoot, the more the foot muscles build up.

So the idea that the amount you pronate may change sounds plausible.

And then there's all the barefoot running stuff - lots to read up on there! Interesting, but complicated.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

The good thing about Sweatshop is that if you've don't like your shoes in practice, you can take them back (covered in mud in my case) and swap them. Shoes that are fine in the shop after gait analysis and inserts and trying on umpteen pairs might feel *vile* - mine did. I took them back and I love the ones I got instead, especially this week in snow and ice (trail shoes)

BTW the wear on my normal shoes bears no relation to my running style