If you’ve ever bought a pair of running shoes, you may have been offered a gait analysis in store. You might walk or run on a treadmill while someone watches or records how your feet move and then recommends a particular type of trainer.

This can be helpful when choosing running shoes but it is important to understand that a running shop gait analysis and a clinical biomechanical assessment are not the same thing.

At The Fane Clinic, our biomechanical assessments look beyond simply watching how your feet move in a pair of trainers.

What is a running shop gait analysis?

A running shop gait analysis is primarily designed to help you choose an appropriate running shoe.

You may be asked to walk or run on a treadmill while your movement is observed or recorded. The assessment may look at features such as how your foot lands, whether the foot appears to roll inwards or outwards and your general running pattern.

This information can then be used alongside factors such as comfort, fit and your running goals to help select a suitable trainer.

For many runners, this can be a useful part of buying new footwear.

However, it is not the same as a clinical assessment of your lower-limb biomechanics and should not be treated as a diagnosis of the underlying cause of pain or injury.

What is a biomechanical assessment?

A biomechanical assessment looks at how your body functions as a whole, particularly the relationship between your feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower limbs.

Rather than simply asking:

“Which running shoe suits you?”

we are asking:

“How is this person moving, and could anything within their biomechanics be contributing to their symptoms?”

At The Fane Clinic, an assessment may consider:

• Your presenting pain, injury or concern
• Medical and injury history
• Foot posture and function
• Joint movement and range of motion
• Muscle strength and flexibility
• Lower-limb alignment
• Leg and foot mechanics
• Walking and/or running gait
• Footwear
• Areas of increased pressure or loading
• Whether further treatment, rehabilitation or orthotic intervention may be appropriate

We also use GaitWorx technology, including advanced assessment and 3D scanning, to help us build a more detailed picture of how your feet and lower limbs are functioning.

What about pronation?

This is one of the biggest differences.

You may have previously been told that you “overpronate” after running on a treadmill.

Pronation itself is not necessarily a problem. It is a normal movement of the foot and forms part of the way the body adapts to the ground and manages forces during walking and running.

Seeing a foot roll inwards does not automatically mean that something is wrong, nor does it necessarily explain why somebody is experiencing pain.

During a biomechanical assessment, we are more interested in the bigger picture including how much movement is occurring, when it occurs, how the rest of the lower limb is functioning and whether those findings are relevant to your symptoms.

What if I already wear orthotics?

This is particularly important.

If you have been prescribed custom orthotics, choosing footwear purely from a treadmill gait analysis may not take into account the correction or support already being provided by your orthoses.

The shoe and orthotic need to work together.

When choosing footwear, factors such as the shape and depth of the shoe, stability, fastening, heel counter, removable insoles and how comfortably the orthotic sits inside the shoe can all be important.

This is why we recommend discussing new footwear with your clinician if you already wear prescribed orthotics.

So, is running shop gait analysis wrong?

No — it simply serves a different purpose.

A reputable running shop can be extremely helpful when finding comfortable, well-fitting running shoes.

But if you are experiencing persistent foot, ankle, knee or lower-limb pain, have a recurring injury, are concerned about the way you walk or run, or think you may require orthotics, a more comprehensive biomechanical assessment may be appropriate.

The simplest way to think about it:

Running shop gait analysis:

Which running shoe may suit me?

Clinical biomechanical assessment:

How and why am I moving this way, is it relevant to my symptoms, and what can we do about it?

Biomechanical Assessments at The Fane Clinic

At The Fane Clinic, our aim isn’t to make everybody walk or run in exactly the same way.

Everyone moves differently.

Instead, we assess the individual, identify findings that may be relevant to their symptoms and create an appropriate management plan. Depending on the findings, this could include footwear advice, exercises and rehabilitation, treatment, activity modification or custom orthotics.

If you’re struggling with recurring foot or lower-limb pain, or you’re unsure whether your current footwear or orthotics are right for you, a biomechanical assessment can help us take a closer look at what’s really happening.