Improve Your Running with Gait Analysis
One of the services we offer at Performance Therapies is a gait analysis.
A gait analysis involves capturing videos of an individual walking or running on a treadmill to evaluate for any asymmetrical and/or abnormal biomechanical movement patterns. The gait analysis includes a thorough assessment including a functional movement screen and assessment of lower extremity strength and flexibility. The individual will walk or run on the treadmill while videos are captured anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly.
The videos allow for slow motion, frame-by-frame analysis of the individual. The individual will be educated on any asymmetries, corrective exercises, and or gait-retraining.
Who can benefit from a gait analysis? Anyone! Gait analysis can be beneficial for injured or healthy walkers/runners. For the injured individual, the gait analysis can be part of a physical therapy evaluation or when returning to activity. Healthy individuals also can benefit from a gait analysis for injury prevention and improving performance.
Running Training Tips:
- Be very gradual when increasing mileage
- 70-80% of running injuries occur due to training errors
- The body will adapt as long as the stress applied is not greater than its capacity to adapt
- Run softer
- Running softer will decrease the vertical loading rate which correlates to decrease risk of injuries
- Increase cadence
- Cadence is the number of steps taken per minute
- Optimal running cadence is 170-190 steps per minute
- Increasing cadence will decrease the vertical loading rate which will decrease risk of injuries
If you are interested in learning more about gait analysis or to schedule an appointment, fill our the form below or call our Coralville clinic today!