Running Analysis

Your running technique won’t only make a difference to whether you win or lose the race

Improving your running technique with our Running Analysis will help you prevent injury and enable you to perform at your best. Running Analysis involves filming your running technique from the different angles to examine the movement of your body with specially designed software.

By studying your movement, joint mobility and overall performance we look at how this impacts on tissue loading (kinematics and kinetics). Some important aspects we analyse are: foot landing, lower limb alignment, strike pattern and transition, and Hip and Pelvic Stability. This will then allow us to create a specific Rehabilitation or Performance Program to help improve or correct these aspects.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been running for years just for fun or you’re a professional runner, every runner can benefit from this analysis.

Research indicates that running technique explains a substantial proportion in the variance in running economy (39%) and performance (31%).

People who suffer from a running related injury, particularly if this is a long-term or persistent injury, are most likely to benefit from a running gait analysis. For example, research studies have shown that people who suffer from anterior knee pain whilst running often over stride (taking too large a step), which results in increased pressure in structures and tissue at the front of the knee.

Running Analysis can also be useful for people who want to improve their running performance. Improved running technique will most likely lead to improved Running Efficiency – the amount of energy you use to propel yourself forwards. Improved energy usage will lead to running better or faster for longer and therefore improve your running performance.

It is important to realise that there is no one size fits all, and any changes in the running technique are likely to be subtle. We can show you this on the video footage and our Physiotherapists can suggest ‘gait cues’ as a tool to achieve subtle changes in your running technique.

Typically, the link between comfort and efficiency applies – in other words if a change feels comfortable, it is likely to improve running efficiency.

On the other hand if something feels uncomfortable, it is likely to be increasing your metabolic running rate (the amount of energy you burn to run) and therefore likely to cause premature fatigue, thus increasing potential for injury.

The AxIT advantage

Analyzing the way you run with AxIT system’s advantages can take your running to another level. Combine the data and our trained physiotherapists and you get a new and professional way to run better and faster and prevent future injuries. Find out more about the AxIT system here.

Our Physiotherapists can assist runners in achieving their goals; we can give tailored advice and programs to:

• improve running tolerance;
• increase intensity and speed;
• develop a training plan;
• monitor a runner’s response to training.

This applies to all levels of runners, or wannabe runners; so, whether you are a high level runner trying to better your personal best, or someone who needs some help with a Couch to 5km program, we are here to help.

It’s important to mention that changes that are suggested are individually related to each test. What might be suggested to you, may not be suitable for someone else.

These changes will improve your performance, lessen the stress on your body, help reduce an injury’s affect and overall contribute to better the quality and technique of your run. In a nutshell – run easier, run better, and run more often.

Now, doesn’t that sound good!