159 | Do You NEED a Running Gait Analysis?
The answer is not always yes
Welcome,
Hopefully, you had a great weekend! Or even better, you are lucky enough to have a 3 day weekend with presidents day.
This week I answer one of the most common questions I receive:
Do you need a running gait analysis?
Do you need to "run a certain way"?
Do you need "certain" shoes or orthotics?
Is barefoot better than cushioned?
It all depends:
The short answer of "do you need a running gait analysis is":
If you are healthy running is going well, then no
If you've never bought running shoes, find yourself constantly injured or not feeling good: then yes.
My first pair of "real running" shoes was in 2010 at Running ETC in Norfolk, VA. The local running store looked at my feet, gave me several choices, and chose the Newton Gravity. Afer that, I ran in roughly 18 pairs of Newton Gravity. I only this know this because I've been blogging since 2010 and took a photo of them all before donating the well worn pairs.
In 2014, I began working at RunningCo I began fitting people for appropriate running shoes. Since then, I've guestimated that I've fit between 500 and 1000 people for running shoes. Working in run specialty, I also began experimenting with different shoes.
Most runners follow a timeline something like this:
They decide they want to run.
They purchase a pair of shoes online or at Dicks sporting goods.
The shoes aren't great for them and they find running is painful.
They might have shin splints, hip and knee problems, or their feet go numb. Running doesn't feel good, and they wonder: why do people do this?
Then they somehow go to a run specialty store, get fitted, and running becomes less painful.
*I can't harp on this enough, but running shoes are the same price online or as your local running store. There are laws to keep them that way, so local nonchain running stores aren't ripping you off.
Each major brand builds specific running shoes for specific purposes. You want to find the one that makes the most sense for you in your situation. Running gait analysis don't take much time, and many running stores can have you start to finish and picking out a shoe within 30 minutes.
So What is a Running Gait Analysis?
It's when someone experienced in running shoes watches you run or walk. They'll take an in-depth look at what your body is doing in movement, including your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and even your torso. Watching your body in movement gives information on what kind of running shoes will work best for you.
Plus, they'll measure your feet, which many people are surprised to learn their feet change with age or life. (Yes, your feet are always changing).
Sometimes a gait analysis is done on a treadmill; other times, walking or running outdoors. Slow-motion video might even be taken. It varies at different stores.
What can Getting a Running Gait Analysis do for you?
It will help get you in the right pair of shoes, of course, but also help you understand your running form. Not only will it tell you if you pronate, but also if you strike more in the forefoot, midfoot, or heel. Determining this will also help you understand where you want more cushion in your running shoe.
What Should you Share with the Running Store Employee:
Your running history: are you new? What are you training for?
Your injury history: Injuries can drastically affect your gait.
Your life history: Have you lost or gained weight? Had a baby?
Where do you run? Treadmill? Trails? Roads?
How much do you run?
Bring your current running shoes.
What are all of the different "onations"?
Okay, no one probably uses the term "onation" except for me. But likely, you've heard of pronation, supination, and overpronation.
Keep in mind none are bad. They are just describing what your body does. When we run, we absorb shock wherever we strike the ground. Ideally, you want the leg aligned all the way from the hips to the ankle. One thing to keep in mind is sometimes your feet do two different things. One side might stay aligned, and the other pronates. Your feet are rarely mirrored images of themselves and usually pronate slightly differently and are two different sizes.
Overpronation: Also known as "excess pronation," is when the ankle turns inward and pushes the lower leg out of alignment. This forces the inside of the foot to absorb shock. Sometimes people associate overpronation with flat feet or fallen arches, but this isn't always the case. There are several reasons you might overpronate, and just because you have "flat feet" doesn't mean you pronate.
Supination: The ankles roll further outward and put pressure on the outside of your feet. The shock is absorbed towards the outside of the body. Supination is what my body does.
Neutral vs. Stability Shoes:
Finding out how you pronate will help determine if you need a stable or neutral shoe. Another common misconception is stability is "bad." It isn't, it's just what your body does.
Most traditional stability shoes have a dense piece of material in the inner side of the shoe. The piece doesn't compress and helps keep your ankles and body aligned. More is not always better, and if you don't need a stability piece, the dense material will overcorrect something that doesn't need correcting.
There is a range of stability shoes just like a range of stability. Some shoes have a denser piece, while some have less (mild stability). Stability is a spectrum, and a gait analysis helps you find where you fall.
Neutral shoes have the same density of cushioning all the way around the shoe. They let your body do what it naturally does. (Keep in mind almost all racing flats and carbon plated footwear are neutral).
One thing to keep in mind is the word "traditional stability shoes." Many brands now have shoes that have materials that adapt to your own needs. For example, the Brooks Adrenaline, a once traditional stability shoe, now has adaptable stability providing you stability if you need it and not if you don't. This doesn't mean it's perfect for everyone and is generally heavier than most neutral shoes.
What about cushion?
This could be a whole newsletter in itself. Just like stability, running shoes have a range of cushion. There are minimal running shoes with less cushion and maximal running shoes with more cushion. More is not always better with cushion either. Those who favor the forefoot of their foot might find the extra cushion in the heel to be dead weight.
Often running on hard pavement and roads will require more cushion. It's never a bad idea to have a couple of different types of shoes including a more and less cushioned mode.
Finally, there are more cushioned stability shoes, less cushioned stability shoes, more cushioned neutral shoes, less cushioned neutral shoes, and many running shoes.
As you can see, the running shoe rabbit hole goes deep, and we haven't even gotten to how certain running shoes fit and their shapes.
Does Gait Analysis Prevent Running Injury?
At the end of the day, runners want to be less injured and run well. A running gait analysis is not a foolproof way to prevent injury, but it can help. It is simply a piece of the puzzle, and having the right shoes will decrease your injury risk. So will other things, though, including taking rest days, recovering well, and getting sleep.
Do you Only Need One Running Gait Analysis?
No. Your feet change, and they change often. If the shoes don't feel right anymore or you are getting injured often, it might be time to get another gait analysis.
Finally, sometimes it takes time:
A running shoe should feel good when leaving a store at the end of the day. If it doesn't feel good, it's not right. Even if it feels good, you don't know if the shoe works until you're actually running. That's why most local running stores will allow you to try a running shoe and exchange it if it doesn't work or feel great within a few runs (without needing a membership).
Running gait analysis will benefit you and help understand your own running form. If you're healthy, running well with no injuries, it's not completely necessary. But if you want to understand your running form, find yourself with no running shoes you like or constantly injured, it can help.
I Need YOU:
I'm starting another series and looking for a dietician to interview. If that's you and you're interested, send me an email at fueledbylolz@gmail.com.
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Camille Herron breaks her own 100-mile record. She took 89 seconds off her previous 100-mile record and ran a 12:41.11 (averaging 7:36 per mile). It's also her first race since turning 40.
Molly Seidel and Anoush Arakelian talk about dating. This was light-hearted and fun.
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The Dangerous Lie of the Perfect Running Weight
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