How You Run Matters - Video Gait Analysis is Key

Rachel Duncan - PRO PT

The human body is designed to run, but how you run determines efficiency, speed, and injury probability. The way your feet hit the ground in conjunction with pelvic alignment, core strength, and mobility of the extremities determine your running form. Awareness of how your body reacts to force and momentum while running is the first step in identifying specific mechanics to correct or include, thus reducing risk of injury and improving speed.

Based on body composition and strength differences after the age of 14, it is imperative to consider gender when working with teen athletes. While male athletes experience more acute lower extremity injuries, female runners are at greater risk of overuse injury to the pelvis and hips. Body composition, nutritional fitness, and correct training strategies are crucial to decrease these risks.

Using video gait analysis to study your specific running mechanics and modify gait patterns where necessary ensures personal best performances while remaining injury-free. Our PRO PT staff will perform a gait analysis to identify your individual running mechanics, allowing us to modify and correct where needed. We offer group and one-on-one sessions focusing on speed, endurance, nutrition, injury prevention, and cross training based on the needs and goals of the individual runner.

For a limited time, we are offering serious runners a free Gait/Running Analysis and individual session with Rachel Duncan, PTA, our resident running expert. As a Certified Running Technique Specialist specializing in the POSE METHOD and a distance marathon and trail runner, Rachel knows what it means to be a runner and understands the passion, time commitment, dedication, and self-discipline required. To schedule your Free Running Analysis and One-on-One Consultation, simply call Bruceton at 304-379-4784 or Kingwood at 304-329-3739.