The goal of all this observation is not simply to assess trouble spots, but also to derive solutions. Learning more about your own gait can help you understand why certain injuries may be occurring. It may also teach you how to avoid them in the future, so that you can run longer and healthier with less pain.

Some of the key benefits of getting a gait analysis include:

• Injury prevention. If you find yourself frequently dealing with heel pain, shin splints, or other sources of pain and injury associated with your physical activity, it’s very likely that a flaw in your gait is at least partly responsible.
• Performance maximization. Poor biomechanical form may be keeping you from training as hard as you want to, getting maximum efficiency from your stride, or setting new personal bests. Analyzing your gait can help you improve your form, improve your performance, and have more fun.
• Custom orthotics optimization. We use the advanced Go 4-D orthotics system at our office, which incorporates gait sensing data as well as 3D digital scanning of your feet to design 3D-printed orthotics that are perfectly matched to your precise gait dynamics. You can read more about it here. 

To give you just a few examples of how gait analyses can be used to improve your life, sore knees that bend too far in or out may be corrected by strengthening gluteal muscles. Stress fractures caused by over-striding may be prevented by shortening your stride and quickening your cadence. Pronation problems may be addressed with specialized footwear or custom orthotics. And so on.