Please note: Gait Analysis continues to be by appointment, so please get in touch to make a booking.
To arrange an appointment simply phone the shop during opening hours (718191), email us (mail@love-running.com) or use the Facebook Messager facility
Through the use of video software, and our own in-store treadmill, your running gait can be assessed for signs of over/under pronation and other issues that may affect the type of shoe you need. The tests ensure that you end up with the running shoes that match your needs, your gait, your terrain and your style of running
The first part of the Gait Analysis involves a health/injury/running Q&A session with you; examining your current running shoes; reviewing your normal standing and load-bearing gait and looking at the arches (and natural “pronation”) of your feet.
We then ask you to run (or walk) on the treadmill for a short amount of time in either your current shoes or – if yours are not appropriate – a pair we supply. As you run, a video camera behind the treadmill will record your legs (from the knees down) and send that footage (pardon the pun!) to our computer. Once we have enough footage you will be asked to take a seat whilst we review and assess the video and compare it to all the other information we have obtained from you.
If signs of “over-pronation” are discovered you may be asked to run again in a different pair of shoes, and occasionally we may repeat this several times – comparing video results and shoe efficacy.
You are also welcome to use the treadmill to test out different shoes for comfort & fit
We recommend that you allow 30-40 minutes for the full Gait Analysis & shoe fitting service, and we allow a maximum of 60 minutes per appointment. Please wear shorts, close-fitting leggings or trousers that can pulled up and secured above the knees.
Gait Analysis is part of our shoe fitting service and therefore free to customers purchasing shoes from us. If – however – you have a Gait Analysis but do not purchase shoes, or only want an analysis to check if your current shoes are correct, we will have to charge you £20 to cover the service and our time.
FAQ
Q: Do I have to remove any clothing?
A: Not at all – though we may ask you to roll up your trouser legs to give us a better view of your ankle/calf/knee area if you are not wearing shorts or close-fitting leggings. Ideally we need to see the movement of the legs from the knees down to properly assess your running gait.
Q: Does it hurt at all?
A: Definitely not! There is no physical contact at all – it is a visual assessment. You can keep your socks on throughout and we will not be handling your feet. We ask you to do some basic movements such as squats, knee/ankle bends and walking. If you have a current injury we recommend you leave gait analysis until you have complete and natural pain-free movement again.
Q: Do you ask me any personal questions?
A: The only personal question we ask you is your name, and this is purely for identification purposes of the analysis results! We do not ask for your age, address or email, and do not share your name or analysis results or use them for any other purpose. We have to ask you about any injuries, issues, niggles and health-problems that might affect your feet/gait/running-style, but your answers are never shared or used in any way. They may be briefly recorded on the Gait Analysis record form solely to assist the analysis, and for future reference should you ask us to recommend more shoes for you in the future.
Q: Why do you keep a written report of the Analysis?
A: We didn’t when we first opened! However, it quickly became clear that many returning customers expect US to remember what they had had previously, and sometimes cannot even remember the size they had, so we have found records to be invaluable for assisting you if you should return in the future! Having previous Gait Analysis results to hand can significantly reduce the time needed to assist you in the future too. Gait Analysis reports are not published, shared or used for any other purpose.
Q: If I run out of time to make my shoe selection, but still want to get the shoes from you on another day, do I have to pay the £20 fee?
A: If shoes are not purchased on the day we will have to charge you the £20 fee. However, if you return to buy shoes for yourself within a couple of months, this fee will be deducted from the cost of those shoes 🙂
Q: I have an appointment with a Sports Physio/Chiropractor/Podiatrist and feel that your video footage of my feet/gait may be of help to them. Can I take a copy of the video?
A: Absolutely! You can either use your camera phone to record straight from the computer monitor, or we can create a 4-5 second video excerpt (the files are too large to cope with longer!) and email it to you.
Hi, I would like to have do the gait analysis, Do I need to book or just come in to the shop?
Thanks.
Hi Lee
There’s no need to book for gait analysis, although we do get busy on a Saturday.
If you can, bring your current running shoes, and make sure you wear something you’ll be comfortable to run in for about 30 seconds at a time.
We look forward to seeing you very soon!
Regards,
Simon and Jo Randall