Foot Assessment and Gait Analysis:
Preparation Is key to success. we need to prepare ourselves scientifically to make our run – injury and pain free. Hence, it’s important for you to get your foot assessment and gait analysis done before your run.
While driving any vehicle, we need to keep adequate air pressure in all the tyres to maintain stability and balance, similar theory is applicable to our body. Our feet act like tyres for our body While walking or running.
What is foot Assessment and Gait Analysis?
Gait or Running analysis provides runners with essential information about their running style. This information is always important, no matter how long you have been running, as knowing your running style will enable you to select the shoes best suited to you.
The major focus of gait analysis is to measure the degree of pronation. Pronation is the natural inward roll of the foot as the outside part of the heel strikes the ground. This roll acts as a shock absorber for the leg and body, optimally distributing the force of the impact of the heel hitting the ground. Overpronation is when the feet roll inward too much Under pronation (or supination) is where the feet don’t roll inward enough.
Gait analysis matches the runner’s degree of pronation with the correct shoe type, with the aim of counter-balancing over or under pronation, helping reduce the risk of injury and improving running efficiency.
What is Video Gait Analysis?
Video gait analysis involves running for a few minutes on a treadmill while a recording is made of runner’s feet. This footage is then slowed down and analysed in detail by a sports physiotherapist who will explain the findings. Runners can then try a variety of shoes based on the results, selecting cushioning, structured cushioning or maximum support options. As well as helping runners to find the right shoe through assessing the movement of the foot, video gait analysis also looks at leg and body movement to see if the analysis can help the runner further. By slowing the video down and viewing the different running stages in detail. It can be beneficial in that it can identify any overactive or underactive muscles in the feet, which could lead to potential injuries and inefficiencies in the future
Chances of injuries is heightened due to lack of personal understanding of how our body responds to any activity, hence assessing foot orientation. As we know our joints work like chain model where each joint is interconnected with each other. while running ground reaction force gets absorbed by our feet, knees and hips. If feet orientation is not normal it might injure your knees, Hips and back and result in serious injuries.
With access to technology and specialists there should be no reason why every runner can’t run pain and injury free.
Dr Prashant B Pardhe
Director – Advance Physio’s Hub
Sports Physiotherapist
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