Gait Analysis with Brooks

Last week I shared a few top running tips for beginners from some lovely runners and bloggers. As a newbie runner it can be exciting to get out and start running as often and as far as you can. Great! However if you haven’t got the right shoe you could cause yourself an injury. I knew there are different types of running shoes but I hadn’t a clue what they were, so I was invited down to Runners Need with Brooks to have a gait analysis.

A gait analysis uses video to film you running on a treadmill in different shoes, then an expert will assess the video footage in slow motion to reveal your running gait. Your running gait is your running style, or if you want to get technical, your degree of pronation. We all tend to fall into one of three styles:

Over-pronate: The majority of runners are over-pronators, an estimated 70% in fact. An over-pronator’s foot rolls inwards, putting pressure on the inner foot.

Neutral: Neutral runners are basically perfect. A neutral runner’s foot remains upright and balanced from heel to toe.

Under-pronate: Under-pronators are a rarer type of runner. Their foot rolls outwards. Unfortunately if you do under-pronate you’ll tend to find running shoes are more expensive as the demand isn’t as great as shoes for under-pronators and neutral runners.

The Gait Analysis

I turned up at Runners Need in full workout wear expecting to be put through a series of drills on the treadmill. I thought I would be made to do sprints and/or run for quite some time. The truth is I ran for about a minute if that each time and at a moderate pace, no sprinting required – phew! I first ran in my own trainers, my trusty Nike Free 5.0s. Next up I was given a pair of neutral shoes to test. The Runners Need Consultant overlaid grid lines on the footage of both runs to see how my foot lined up with my ankle when I landed. The footage revealed that I am an over-pronator so I was given a pair of shoes specific for over-pronators to run in. Brooks Adrenaline GTS 15 were the chosen pair for me. The final test showed that my foot was much more inline with my ankle when I ran in the recommended shoes. I was genuinely shocked how much of a difference there was.

gait analysisGait Analysis is a free service provided by running specialist stores. Yes, you read that correctly – gait analysis is FREE. At Runners Need you don’t even need to book an appointment, you can just pop in to your local store and 10 minutes later walk out knowing exactly the type of running shoes you’ll need. There’s no pressure or obligation to buy either, but it’s worth trying the shoes on in-store as each brand can have a different fit. The type of training you’re doing will make a difference too, whether you’re running for half an hour each time or two hours, or if you’re running on the road or trail-running. The consultant doing your gait analysis will be able to advise you on all of these factors.

The Verdict

Seeing how much of a difference having the correct running shoes instantly made to my foot and ankle alignment made me realise just how important having the correct shoes are. I always knew that running in Converses was a bad idea and grimaced when I saw people running in plimsolls. However I always bought trainers for style over function and thought I was fine with my Nike Free 5.0s because, well, they’re marketed as running trainers. Sure, they will be perfect for a lot of people but clearly they were the wrong choice for me. From now on I’ll stick to wearing them in the gym and use my new Brooks trainers for when I run.

brooks running

Why bother?

With every step you take when you run you’re putting a lot of pressure on your ankle, shins, knees and hips. That’s a lot of joints to risk injuring! If your alignment isn’t quite right when you run then this risk increases. Not only that but running can feel uncomfortable too and if something hurts then you’re not going to want to continue. Having the right running shoes will reduce the risk of injury and alleviate discomfort, so that you can focus on your training. The gait analysis is free and can make the world of difference, so yes, it is worth it.

What trainers do you run in currently? Have you ever had a gait analysis and if so, have you noticed a difference since running in the correct shoes? Let me know your experiences in the comments below. Happy running!

Thank you to Brooks and Runners Need for gifting me the Brooks GTS 15 running shoes so that I am well equipped to run.

4 Comments

  1. May 26, 2015 / 10:26 am

    Thanks for writing this! SO many new runners start out in Nike Frees, because they are popular, but they are not a shoe for everyone- they’re a very minimalist shoe for neutral as runners!

    I pronate a little > a lot on longer runs and I wear Mizuno Wave Paradox and Brooks Pure Cadence (much lighter shoe but still with support).

    I got gait analysed when I first started running (neutral, woo!0 then after I badly injured my knee kept getting extra injuries, I finally found out (with a little help from the physio) that it had changed my stride into a much less neutral one. So get reassessed after any tissue, muscle, tendon, bone etc damage!

    • Cantara
      Author
      May 28, 2015 / 11:01 pm

      I agree with you, especially as I was one of those people running in Nike Frees! I still love them but they’re clearly not the right shoe for me to run in anymore. Ah I didn’t even think about getting reassessed after injuries, that’s a great point – thank you!

  2. May 26, 2015 / 10:40 am

    I did one of these tests a few year ago and found out that my feet slant inwards when I run! I didn’t even realise that this was why I was getting such bad shin splints!! I got a pair of runners they recommended and it completely changed my running experience!! I haven’t gone back since though :( I have a pair of Nikes at the moment (purely for style too.. oops). They haven’t given me any trouble so far, but I really need to go back and get another analysis done!!

    Chrissy x
    http://www.chrissylilly.com

    • Cantara
      Author
      May 28, 2015 / 11:02 pm

      I’d started getting pains in my shins, not quite shin splints but I definitely think it was the start, so glad I’ve realised how much better having the correct shoes is. Still keeping my Frees for style ha, love them too much! x

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