What Is The Use Of Gait Analysis For Runners

Gait analysis is undertaken to evaluate the pattern of walk which is unique to each one of us. In fact analyzing the gait comprises of the study of how we walk. It is possible that individuals suffering from pain in their feet, ankles, knees or hips can cause them to walk in the way they do. For people highly active these problems are more prominent and more pronounced as they have forces going through their joints more frequently. However almost everyone encounters foot pain at some stage in their life. Therefore the experts analyzing your gait will check the wear pattern on your footwear and evaluate the way you walk.

Running gait analysis is often undertaken to check areas for high pressure and any injury causing factor that can become a hurdle in the runner's success. The process includes observing your standing posture, observing how you walk, walking gait and running gait. Moreover it comprises of carrying out a functional assessment that includes checking the range of motion available at all of the joints from the hip to the toes. From these evaluations the experts verify whether your gait is one of the factors in causing your injury.

Gait analysis for runners can be caused due to many reasons including a leg length discrepancy, muscle tightness, or hyper mobility of joints. For runners it is necessary to have enough muscle power and sufficient range of joint movement as they require running long distances. While walking or running one leg gives the body support while the other swings through to be placed forward and in its turn to take weight.

The process of going through all these stages and getting back on the same foot again is known as the gait cycle. As walking gets faster or transforms to running the duration of these phases of the gait cycle reduces and while running there is no double support phase when both legs are on the ground at the same time.

It is important to understand your running gait and your body's biomechanics when something is causing anxiety or causing problem. If you are experiencing difficulty during training and racing sessions then professional gait analysis is recommended. Your running gait is determined by numerous factors including age, weight, cultural background, muscle flexibility, joint mobility, and injury history and foot strike. If you are starting off your year having a full biomechanical gait analysis is an excellent way to ensure an injury-free season.