Maximize your Running Performance with a Video Gait & Running Analysis

According to the 2020 Sports & Fitness Industry Association report, approximately 50 million Americans participate in some variation of running or jogging. That’s 15 percent of the United States population. With the recent pandemic and gyms being temporarily closed, even more, people took up running to get in their daily exercise. Whether a weekend warrior runner or a competitive athlete, a video running analysis can benefit you.

What Is a Running Analysis

A video running analysis allows a Physical Therapist to record your running mechanics, to slow down the video and analyze the mechanics of specific body segments – from your shoulders and posture down to your ankles and feet. They will look at your stride length, cadence, biomechanics of various joints, and the overall symmetry and pattern of your running. They do this by looking frame by frame at a variety of views. Video gait and running analysis, combined with a physical exam from your physical therapist and healthcare team, can assist with injury prevention and recovery post-injury.

Injury Prevention

By slowing down your running and analyzing your form and mechanics in more detail, tips and techniques can be provided to improve your form. By improving form and mechanics, running efficiency can be developed, and less energy will be wasted while running, leading to decreased injury risk and improved speeds or paces. In addition, by analyzing body mechanics, a therapist can look at the entire body’s movement patterns to identify weaknesses or variations that could lead to preventable injuries down the road.

Rehabilitation

Not only can a running analysis benefit runners proactively, but it can also be a huge part of the rehabilitation process. The root of the problem can often be small but lead to more significant issues. Small problems can be easier identified with tools, such as video analysis, to look at small repetitive movements when running. Just as identifying weaknesses can help prevent injuries, it can also help during the rehabilitation process. With the use of gait analysis, combined with physical therapy utilizing the findings in the gait analysis, specific weaknesses can be turned into strengths.

How to Get a Video Gait & Running Analysis

Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a competitive athlete, or somewhere in between, you may benefit from a running analysis. Click the button below to find an Athletico Physical Therapist who has been trained in video running analysis. Your healthcare team, including your physical therapist, can help you achieve your goals.

Find a Video Gait & Running Analysis Specialist

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:

1. Leaf Group. (n.d.). 126 running statistics you need to know | Livestrong. LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://www.livestrong.com/article/13730338-running-statistics/
2. Simoni, L., Scarton, A., Macchi, C., Gori, F., Pasquini, G., & Pogliaghi, S. (2021). Quantitative and qualitative running gait analysis through an innovative video-based approach. Sensors, 21(9), 2977. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21092977