Articles

Gait Analysis

The phrase gait analysis is being used a lot lately. It seems like everybody is doing gait analysis from the retail stores to the chiropractors. The big question is how we take the information that they are giving us about our gait and use it to buy the best running shoe for our needs. A gait analysis can entail standing on a static grid and getting a pressure reading of your foot. If your foot is tender in one spot you will shift your weight and you will not get a true reading. Also if your foot is static you don’t get information about what’s going on with your ankles and knees.

One can also do a dynamic gait analysis by observing someone running outside or on a treadmill. This method gives you information on your foot, ankles and knees while you are running or walking. Ideally we need to put sensors on your hips, knees and ankles and put you on a pressure grid treadmill so we would have all bases covered. The only people using this method are the top universities in their research labs. The methods listed above will give you some good general information about what is happening with your foot. The grid shows you the pressure points which you want to accommodate and the dynamic method gives information about your running or walking motion. You really want to know if your foot is tending to roll inwards (pronating) or rolling outwards (supinating). You also want to know if your ankle is maintaining a somewhat neutral position. People who tend to roll inwards have a more mobile foot which tends to flatten out as they run so they need some stability from their shoes. If you have a flat foot it is generally hyper mobile so you need a motion control shoe. If you tend to roll out with a higher arch you need a cushioned shoe because your foot is more rigid and you tend to run more towards the front part of your foot. If your ankle is moving excessively you need to stabilize it with a shoe that has a wider base.

Gait analysis can give you some good information but it only as good as the person doing the observation. In addition the person doing the analysis may be right but if they don’t know a lot about running shoes they could still put you in the wrong shoe for your foot type. It is always best to deal with experienced individuals who are runners themselves and have a good deal of product knowledge. Any good sales person should be able to explain what they are looking for when they do a gait analysis and why they are recommending a specific shoe for your foot.