Indoor Running Gait Analysis

Indoor Running Gait Analysis

Running is a popular choice because it does not require special equipment or a gym membership. When people think about starting to exercise for better health or weight loss, most will think about running because of its accessibility. However, what most fail to consider is the importance of preparing for a run. Like any other sport, training is essential to prevent injury and to improve performance.

 

Running injuries are thus prevalent, but very treatable and avoidable.

 

At Balance Core, we specialise in individualised and tailored movement analysis to identify the root cause of your challenges and we work with you to improve on the specific errors. We combine our systematic assessment and treatment approach with modern technology to provide accurate analysis and effective rehabilitation.

Equipped with motion cameras and motion analysis software, our physiotherapists can communicate feedback on your movement effectively and easily with video playbacks.

Common Conditions/Injuries Associated with Running

Lower back pain

Spinal disc injuries

 

Spinal facet joint strains

 

Muscle sprains

Hip pain

Piriformis syndrome

 

Hip impingement

 

Hip arthritis

 

Hip bursitis

 

Sciatica

 

Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome

Shoulder pain

Muscle strain

 

Rib strain

Knee pain

Knee meniscus injury

 

Ligament strain

 

Knee arthritis

 

Calf strain

 

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (Runner’s Knee)

 

Hamstring strain

Foot and ankle pain

Ankle sprains

 

Plantarfasciitis

 

Achilles tendinopathy

 

Stress fracture

 

Neuromas

 

Bunions

Running can result in a wide range of injuries and pain. Our physiotherapists at Balance Core are well-versed in treating these conditions and can facilitate your return to running even after these injuries.

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Common Errors We Have Observed in Running

Upper body form and posture

Chest lifted in an overly upright and rigid posture that places the diaphragm in a disadvantaged position for breathing

 

Shoulders clipped tightly by the body and hiked resulting in excessive tension and inefficient use of energy

 

Lower back not kept in neutral resulting in excessive tension or loading in the muscles, discs and joints

 

Pelvis not in neutral (excessive anterior tilt or posterior tilt) placing hip and back muscles in disadvantaged positions and reducing muscular efficiency

Point of Weight Bearing and Foot Striking

Overloading into the forefoot and toes resulting in strain in the lower back, knees, calves, and feet

 

Overloading into hindfoot (overstriding and landing on the heel) is energy inefficient and increases the risk of shin splints

Balance Strategies and Placement of Centre of Gravity

Excessive gripping in the inner thighs and toes for balance and to keep upright instead of proper use of the core resulting in overloading in the groin, calves, and feet

 

Overstriding with centre of gravity trailing behind resulting in inefficient energy use and overloading in the heels, ankles, knees, hips and back

Poor understanding and improper use of core control

Excessive gripping of outer layer of dynamic trunk muscles instead of deeper postural control muscles

 

Movement driven excessively by distal extremitities with overload in feet and knees and underuse of core, gluteals, and quadriceps

Background Muscle imbalance

Overloaded in some muscles and weak in some areas resulting in an imbalance in force tension and hence pain
multiple men running

Specific analysis by our physiotherapists at Balance Core can help you identify errors unique to you and decipher the root cause behind these errors. Identifying the errors and the root cause of the errors are the first steps in your road to recovery from injury and in preventing future injuries.

Addressing Underlying Causes of Running Injuries

Running requires repetitive motions and loading. If you are experiencing pain or excessive tiredness in certain areas of the body, continuing to run and “practise running” will not address your problem. Specific analysis to identify the underlying reasons for your movement errors and risk factors for injury is essential.

 

Balance Core Physiotherapy Centre is committed to solving the root cause of problems. Combining our Integrated Balance Approach with a dedicated practice space and modern technology, our physiotherapists will work closely with you to identify your unique issues and design a suitable treatment plan for you in a systematic manner. In doing so, we strive to reduce your existing pain and help you to minimise the risk of your injuries recurring in the future.

 

Running is a repetitive but fast activity. A slow-motion playback of your movements is particularly helpful and accurate in identifying movement errors that will otherwise be difficult to pick up. Combined with a systematic approach like ours, a structured analysis can be conducted to help you identify problems, understand the root causes, and hence improve your running form.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who Can Benefit from a Running Analysis at Balance Core?

    Runners of all levels can benefit from professional running analysis and physiotherapy. Whether you are a weekend warrior trying to work some exercise into your hectic schedule, a running newbie, or a seasoned sprinter or long distance runner, a running-specific motion analysis and tailored rehabilitation and/or performance-enhancement programme is beneficial.

    Runners of different levels tend to experience different problems and injuries. Hence, generic running advice generally does not help. Instead, a unique solution specific to your needs is essential.

    What Can I Expect from a Running Analysis/Physiotherapy Session?

    For our physiotherapists at Balance Core to conduct a systematic physiotherapy assessment and treatment, a detailed movement analysis must first be conducted.

    To understand your typical running habits better, you will first be asked to show us your usual routine (including your warm-up routine if you have one), and the assessment of your running will be performed on a treadmill.

    Your movements will be recorded with cameras and your physiotherapist will analyse them with you and provide feedback using a slow-motion playback of your movement with the aid of a motion analysis software. Our physiotherapists will also conduct a systematic assessment based on our Integrated Balance Approach. Based on the combined findings of your specific weight distribution, joint position, flexibility and mobility, muscle performance, functional movement and task-specific efficiency, our physiotherapists can then design a tailored rehabilitative programme to suit your individual needs.

    Interactive approach

    Through a detailed yet streamlined approach, our physiotherapists will be able to determine the root issues in the challenges that you face in your game and design a rehabilitation or performance enhancement plan to facilitate your improvement.

    I Have Joint Degeneration and My Doctor Said I Cannot Play Golf Again. Can Physiotherapy Help Me?

    Yes! Physiotherapy can help.

    Degeneration is common and does not automatically mean disability. Most people can continue enjoying their favourite sport despite having evidence of degeneration in their radiological scans (i.e. X-rays, MRIs).

    It is a misconception that you have to stop all sporting activities because you have degeneration or “wear and tear” in your body. When we play our favourite sport and feel aches and pains in the absence of any sudden twists, falls or acute injuries, the common deduction is that the pain is due to age, degeneration, or unsuitability for the sport. However, most of the time, the discomforts are because of an error in our movement pattern. Dysfunctional movement patterns, often paired with an imbalance in muscular performance and joint mobility, are the more common cause of discomfort. Sometimes, the root cause of the problem is not in the area of pain or discomfort.

    The wear and tear of a joint is a result of overload and/or the joint being subjected to too much stress. This overload is often caused by problems such as tightness or stiffness in other areas of the body. Clinically, we have found that when healthy movement habits are restored (through manual therapy, exercise therapy and education to improve awareness), the previously strained joint will no longer be overloaded during activities.

    Running is unique in that it is highly repetitive and is considered a high impact sport. Treating the area of pain alone will not solve the problem. To reduce the repetitive strain it causes, optimal control of the entire kinetic chain is essential.

    Hence, at Balance Core, we emphasise the importance of a “whole body analysis” to identify areas of weakness, overload, stiffness and hypermobility to decipher the root cause of the problem. This Integrated Balance Approach and sport-specific analysis will help us and help you to learn the problematic areas that are affecting your performance.

    A combination of physiotherapy techniques (e.g. joint mobilisation and myofascial release techniques) to reduce pain and improve mobility together with exercise training to improve muscular and movement pattern performance can facilitate your return to running safely and effectively.

    What Makes Balance Core Running Analysis and Physiotherapy Unique?

    The use of slow-motion video capture and playback together with motion analysis software, our physiotherapists are able to communicate the errors and areas for improvement effectively.

    It is our “whole-body” approach that makes our assessment and treatment unique. Treating a painful runner’s knee symptomatically is simple. However, at Balance Core, we firmly believe in the body functioning as a whole and addressing errors beyond the local area of pain or injury.

    With our team’s Integrated Balance Approach, we provide a detailed and systematic analysis of each client’s individual and unique characteristics and movement patterns. A tailored and specific treatment plan can then be designed for the client’s unique problems. By managing the client as a whole, we can tackle the root cause of the problem and minimise the chance of injury recurrence.

    I Don’t Have Any Pain, How Can I Benefit From a Running Analysis/Physiotherapy Session?

    Proper body mechanics and good muscular balance help to prevent injuries. Even if you do not have any pain now, having your movement patterns analysed can help you to understand your body better and make necessary changes to minimise your risk of injuries in the future.

    Often, injuries (especially repetitive strain injuries), stem from long-standing but unrecognised issues. The human body is quick to adapt and tends to compensate by choosing the “easiest way out”. Over time, compensatory actions accentuate and worsen existing errors and imbalances that eventually result in an injury. Thus, it is never too early to identify errors in your tennis techniques and to correct them.