3 ways every runner can benefit from a gait analysis
January is often seen as a time for fresh starts, whether that’s learning a new skill or adopting healthier habits. But it can also be an opportunity to build on what you’re already doing. For runners, this idea extends to a gait analysis – a tool used to analyse your running technique. While many of us might associate a gait analysis with something that we do when we first start running or buy our first pair of running shoes, it can be just as valuable for experienced runners, too.
In fact, Tom Austin, store manager at Runner’s Need in Clapham, London, and a 2:24 marathoner, says that our running style is constantly developing.
‘A lot of people think that you’re going to learn it overnight, or they say, “I’ve been running for a year, I shouldn’t have all these issues” – but a lot of it takes time,’ he says. ‘[Your running technique] is just natural behaviours from the body and you’re trying to reset your body to work in a different way.’
So, with some lofty running goals for 2025, I headed down to my local Runner’s Need store for a 30-minute gait analysis service. It started with a discussion around my current known running style (neutral gait, heel striker), my future running goals (a 47km trail race at the end of February) and any previous injuries that might affect how I run (I’ve always struggled with niggles stemming from my left glute). Then, I ran on a treadmill for around 20-30 seconds in a pair of neutral running shoes – in this case, the Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 that I arrived in – while a camera recorded my running style.
After this, Austin pulled a few shoes from the store’s range for me to try – the Puma ForeverRun Nitro, Asics Novablast 5 and Brooks Glycerin Max. Despite the fact that I’ve been running for several years and have tested hundreds of running shoes, it was genuinely interesting to see how my gait compared with previous assessments that I’ve had in the past, and how different running shoes impacted my movement. Here are three reasons I recommend getting re-analysed yourself.
You can identify any minor imbalances
While there’s no such thing as 'perfect’ running form, there can be factors that are hindering you from performing at your best – or worse, that could lead to injuries. Like most gait analyses, Runner’s Need’s frame-by-frame replay showed how my feet were landing, where they were landing and any bio-mechanical misalignments.
For example, one thing that came up was a slight imbalance on my right-hand side during the ground contact phase (this is, unsurprisingly, when the foot lands on the ground). Ideally, your foot should land under your knee to create what’s called a ‘neutral shank angle’. My right foot, however, veers slightly to the left, perhaps overcompensating for the left side, suggests Austin. This could suggest some weakness in my hip adductors – namely, the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus – and is something that I can take to my physiotherapist and running coach so we can tweak my strength and conditioning work accordingly.
You can understand how different shoes work for your foot strike
Visiting a dedicated running store is also a good opportunity to try out different running shoes and get a sense of how they feel on the foot – even if you already know that you overpronate, underpronate or are a neutral runner, or that you land further forward or backward. (That said, if you don’t know this, it’s another benefit.)
As a heel striker, for example, I’ve found that I can benefit more from shoes with a slightly higher heel-to-toe drop (8-12mm) or a more prominent, rounded heel bevel that allows for a smoother transition from heel to toe during the running stride.
Austin also notes that shoes built on a slightly wider last can be beneficial for heel strikers or those needing more support, because of the way that the foot has to transition from the heel to the midfoot before toe-ing off.
This becomes evident when we look at how I run in the Glycerin Max – a shoe with quite a pronounced heel bevel – and my left-veering becomes less prominent.
However, it’s important to remember that your gait analysis is only half the picture when it comes to shoe selection, says Austin.
‘I’ve had some people come in and I’ve given them a couple of different support shoes – one with more traditional medial posts and one with slightly newer support methods,’ notes Austin. ‘The goal of the shoes is the same [to combat overpronation], but one is designed to completely restrict movement, while one is designed to guide the movement. But some people don’t like traditional posts. So, the shoes could both be doing their job – if you’re uncomfortable, you’re going to be stressed. Stress is going to create a weakness and the weakness is then causing the injuries. So it’s a fine balance.’
You can use it as a way to measure progress
A gait analysis shouldn’t just be a ‘one and done’ process, according to Austin. In fact, he recommends getting a gait analysis every six to eight months and using the service to identify areas of improvement and adapt your running technique as needed. This recurring evaluation can also help to detect subtle changes in your movement patterns that might result from changes in fitness, footwear, or overall physical condition.
Visit the Runner's Need store page to book a gait analysis at your nearest location.
You Might Also Like
