Gait Analysis

Running assessments are a valuable tool for improving performance and preventing injuries by offering expert guidance on refining your technique

Subiaco Physiotherapy

Treadmill Gait Analysis

Run better before you run further

Running assessments are a valuable tool for improving performance and preventing injuries by offering expert guidance on refining your technique. When conducted by an experienced physiotherapist or running coach, you benefit from a unique blend of coaching expertise and specialised knowledge in injury prevention and treatment. We provide this advantage to all runners in Perth, regardless of ability or experience. Whether you’re new to running or an experienced athlete, a running assessment can offer key insights into your technique, biomechanics, strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Your personalised running assessment combines video analysis with biomechanical screening, giving us a comprehensive understanding of your gait, stride, posture, strike pattern and cadence. This detailed evaluation helps us pinpoint inefficient movement patterns and potential injury risks.

Based on the results of your analysis, we can develop a tailored program that includes targeted exercises, drills, and coaching cues designed to boost your running economy and reduce your injury.

Gait Analysis Appointment

Personalised running assessment

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Gait Analysis Key Points:

Running assessments can help to optimise performance and reduce injury risk
Video analysis allows us to carefully examine your gait and chare key insights
Located in Subi Village, Subiaco Physiotherapy makes professional and personalised running programs available to all Perth runners, from beginner and recreational through to elite levels.

Components Of A Running Assessment at Subiaco Physiotherapy

A running assessment at Subiaco Physio includes three key components:

A discussion around your running history and goals,
A video analysis of your running gait on a treadmill,
A biomechanical assessment.

1. Discussion Of Your Running History And Goals

Every runner has individual goals, history and fitness. To help us to understand you, we’ll want to know:

how far you run in a week
what you are training for
what other exercise you do
your injury history
your running experience

So we’ll always spend a little bit of time with you so that we can understand these things.

2. Video Analysis On A Treadmill

Video analysis is a critical part of your running assessment. At Subiaco Physiotherapy we use professional-grade running analysis software to analyse your technique from the side and from the back. From this, we can analyse the footage and identify areas of inefficiency, methods of improvement and discuss how your running mechanics might relate to current injuries and future injury risk.

After we video your running on the treadmill, we will show you the footage and draw lines to help you see any potential biomechanical issues so that you are right across the analysis process. We find it really useful for you to understand what we are seeing so that you see why it will benefit you by changing it. In our experience, the more engaged you are in the process the better the results!

3. Biomechanical Assessment

We will then take you through a biomechanical screen for area of tightness, weakness or reduced control that might be contributing to your biomechanical insufficiencies.

For example, if you are running with a stooped forward posture, we will assess your hip flexor length to see if that’s contributing.

From there, we can fairly accurately put together a customised program to correct imbalances, weaknesses or restrictions which will help you correct your gait as fast as possible.

The Basics Of Running Efficiency

Running efficiency refers to how well a runner transforms energy into forward movement. A detailed running assessment can reveal biomechanical issues that might lead to unnecessary energy loss each step. For instance, overstriding creates a braking effect with every heel strike, slowing you down, while excessive vertical movement, or a “bouncy” stride, wastes energy moving up and down instead of propelling you forward. By addressing these inefficient movement patterns, runners can conserve energy and use it more effectively, helping them run faster and longer. An improved running gait also places less stress on the joint surfaces, tendons, cartilage and muscles, reducing the likelihood of injury.

Enhance Your Running Performance
Your running form plays a crucial role in determining how well you perform. A comprehensive evaluation of your technique can highlight areas for improvement, such as foot strike, heel lift, trunk posture, and arm movement. Fine-tuning these elements contributes to a more efficient stride and a smoother, more energy-efficient gait, leading to quicker times and better endurance.

Lower Your Risk of Injury
Injuries are a common concern for runners but can be significantly lowered with a thorough assessment of your running mechanics. By identifying and correcting biomechanical issues, you can reduce unnecessary strain on your muscles, joints, tendons, bones, and ligaments. This may involve adjusting your gait to prevent tissue overload or strengthening specific muscles to better handle the demands of running. An in-depth assessment provides the insights needed to keep you injury-free and running at your peak.

Let Us Start To Help

Services We Provide

We understand that every client is unique and has specific needs when it comes to physical therapy. That’s why we offer a wide range of services and treatment options, tailored to your individual requirements.

Physiotherapy

Chiropractic

Massage Therapy

Run Strong

Exercise Rehabilitation

Sports Physiotherapy

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Why Choose Subiaco Physiotherapy?

Our Unique Approach To Care

Caring Experts

Our practitioners care about you and your recovery. We’re all deeply involved in your rehabilitation.

Active Recovery

Using active recovery, we promote healing through movement and exercise

Sport Expertise

All of our practitioners are active in sports and use that knowledge to assist you further

On-Site Gym

We’ve dedicated a large space at our clinic to have a fully equipped gym

Easy Gap Only Payments

We Accept 100% of Australian Private Health Insurance Providers

We process your private health insurance claim on the spot via HICAPS. If your insurance policy covers you for our services, you will only need to make the gap payment on the day. Make sure to check your policy with your health insurance provider.

Meet Our Team

Subiaco Physiotherapy Professionals

We are a collective of highly qualified, professional clinicians with a huge variety of experience and expertise in spinal pain, sports injuries, pain management and rehabilitation.

Our staff has an ongoing commitment to further education and self development, as well as contribution to the profession and the wider community.

All team members belong to their respective professional bodies and are registered with AHPRA which exists to improve the health of Australians by supporting world’s best practice in Allied Health.

About Our Practitioners

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand you might have some questions about Gait Analysis services, treatment & how it can help you.

If you have any more questions, you can always reach out to our friendly team.

Speak To Us

You can pick between an in-person consultation at the clinic, or a Telehealth consultation.

Initial appointment
If you’ve never been to the clinic before, or you have but a >12 months ago and this is a new problem

Standard appointment
If you are following up on a previous issue with your physio

Telehealth consultation
For online video consultations that do not require face-to-face assessment and treatment

Extended appointment
For a complex case, a longer appointment time, our Exercise Evaluations & Programs, or CrossFit Performance Screenings

Clinical Exercise (Pilates) Initial Consultation
If you’d like to start into our pilates-based rehab sessions, choose this for your setup consultation

Physio Exercise Class
If you already have an exercise program with us, and would like to join us for some expert feedback and coaching on your program.

Depending on your area of injury, it can be useful for you to be able to move without the restriction of tight clothes. Sporting and exercise attire can make assessment and treatment much easier.

Don’t worry, though, your therapist will have a range of towels and shorts to lend you if you get stuck. We want you to feel completely comfortable during your appointment.

In your first treatment session, you will be greeted at reception and asked to fill out an intake form.

Your physiotherapist will then take you into a consultation room and start with taking your relevant history, establishing what you hope to achieve out of your session and viewing any scans you might have available. They will then take you through a thorough physical assessment and help to establish a clear diagnosis, as well help to identify any contributing factors.

Following this, you will often receive hands-on treatment in the first session (provided it is likely to help you) as well as be provided with an idea of a management plan. Typically, you will be given some preliminary exercises in your first session, although sometimes this is better off left to later sessions, depending on your injury.

We always aim to meet and exceed your expectations!

It’s always difficult to say as it is very dependent on your injury. The initial sessions will typically be about reducing your symptoms, with follow-up sessions being more about helping you to reduce the risk of ongoing pain and dysfunction.

We always aim to keep the number of sessions to the minimum effective amount and pack each session with as much treatment, exercise and valuable education and advice as possible.

We often say that hands-on treatment is your short term answer and that exercise rehabilitation is your long-term solution. So once we have worked with you over a period of time to reduce your symptoms, we will do a few things to reduce the risk of recurrence:

Education about when you can and can’t do while exercising
Exercise-based rehabilitation with tailored rehab programs
Customised return to sport and exercise programs
Advice around lifestyle, ergonomics, sleep, and posture

Strength Training For Runners

A Safe Return To Exercise After Pregnancy

Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain Relief

Download One of Our Free e-books

Download one or all of our free e-books and get expert tips and techniques from our physiotherapists to help alleviate pain and improve mobility, including how to run stronger, how to alleviate heel pain & postpartum exercises for new mums!