Running Gait Analysis Can Help Get The Best Fit From Your Shoes

Running shoes are designed for different foot shapes; designed for different running patterns; and running on different terrain; so a running gait analysis can help get the best fit from your running shoes.

How you run and how often you run can make a big difference in the type of footwear that you buy.  There are eight basic types of runs.

• A recovery run is a relatively short run performed at an easy pace.
• A base run is a relatively short to moderate-length run undertaken at a runner’s natural pace.
• A long run is a base run that lasts long enough to leave a runner fatigued. The function of a long run is to increase raw endurance.
• A progression run is a run that begins at a runner’s natural pace and ends with a faster segment at the end of the run.
• A fartlek workout is a base run that mixes in intervals of varying duration or distance.
• Hill repeats are repeated short segments of fast uphill running.
• A tempo run is a sustained effort at a threshold intensity, which is the fastest pace that can be sustained for a period of time.
• Interval runs consist of repeated shorter segments of fast running separated by slow jogging or standing recoveries.

When buying running shoes: keep these tips in mind:

The time of day you shop is a factor.  Feet swell as you use them and that’s especially important to remember when buying running shoes.  Try them on at the end of the day so you have a better idea of how they’ll feel after a run.  Even then remember to leave about a finger width of space between the end of your longest toe and the end of the shoe – your feet can swell even more on a run , and you don’t want bruised toes and black toenails.

Remember to take your orthotics with you and make sure you try them out in the shoes before you purchase them. ( Remember, orthotics need to be replaced every two years)

At Diversified Health our practitioners use a gait scan to help assess your foot concerns.  As you move across a pressure plate, thousands of tiny sensors capture the distribution of pressure of your foot and the computer displays 2D and 3D visual representations of the pressure under your foot.  These findings help the practitioners to evaluate your foot function.

Please contact the clinic if you have questions about what type of running shoes would be beneficial for your fitness level and remember that a running gait analysis can help get the best fit from your running shoes.