Gait Analysis

I was finally able to get down and get a gait analysis done.  I have been wanting to do this since I started running in January but did not know of a place around here that did it.  I finally was told by a friend of a place at a local mall.  I was so excited.  So on Tuesday we took a trip down to the mall for our analysis.  This was really neat to have done.

First they have you take off your shoes and stand in this box thing.  Then the computer screen in front of you shows your footprints. 

The footprints are colored to see where you put most of the pressure on your feet and how big your arches are.  The blue is light pressure and the red is heavy pressure.

Then after a brief questioning by the sales guy about if you have any pain while you run or if your toes do numb, you get to put on some generic shoes and get on a treadmill to go for a short run.  While you run the guy video tapes your feet.  Then he plays it back in slow motion to see how your feet hit the ground when you run.  This was really cool to see.

I wish I had taken my own pictures while we were there but I wasn’t thinking about it at the time.  Could totally kick myself for not taking my own pics.

Anyways, I found out that my left foot is neutral and my right foot pronates.  That means when I hit the ground my ankle turns in.  Even though I am sure I run like a tard – not to offend anyone, I just know I am not a natural runner – he was able to get my gait analysis.

Then he asked my shoe preference and color.  I didn’t have any shoe preference and just wanted something that was not to crazy in color.  So the guy came out with 4 different brands of shoes.   I got to try them on and take a test run around the track in the store.  Baby J thought this was great and ran with me each time I ran.  D also had her analysis done and the whole process so baby J ran with her around the track as well.  Nothing like going to the shoe store to tire out the kid. LOL

So since I pronate I have to get shoes that have additional support in the arch area.  This is a harder foam substance that helps to keep the foot stable and not turn in.  It is often called a roll bar and you can tell if a shoe has it or not because the inside arch area will be gray. After checking out all my options I finally went with these fabulous shoes.

Notice the gray arch area.  This is the roll bar to keep my foot from pronating.  I really like them and am excited to get running in them.  Definitely need to break them in a bit.

Come to find out that the pair of running shoes I got in January are exactly the right kind for my running style so that is awesome. I now have two pair so I can alternate between them while running. Yay!

These are the ones D got. She likes her running shoes a bit brighter than mine. LOL

And of couse baby J got new shoes as well.

Anyways I would highly recommend if you are a new runner to get a gait analysis done so you can get the proper running shoe.  I am so glad I did and so was D.