Improve Performance With a 3D Gait Analysis
We've talked about our 3D gait analysis technology before but did you know that through it you have the ability to improve performance and prevent injury? It's true! Running injuries aren't just random, they are normally a result of overuse, a seemingly unavoidable result due to the nature of the sport. But, as many of you are aware, there is always that one running friend that never seems to get hurt. They can run and run for miles upon miles with no injuries. This is likely due to the fact that they have a very efficient form that utilizes the muscles that are best suited for the task and therefore are less susceptible to overuse injury. Or, they have the strength in the right ares to keep their bodies going. No matter what the case, a 3D gait analysis gives us the ability to better serve our clients by pinpointing the root causes rather than the symptoms. Our goal is and always has been pre-hab before re-hab so utilizing this technology will allow us to help you strengthen weak areas to prevent injury and make you better in the future! So how does it work and how deep does the technology go? Read on and find out!
2D vs 3D
If you have ever been to a running store or have even come to see us, you have probably had some one ask you to run to see how you move. What is your foot strike like? Do your hips drop? Do your arms swing across your body? No matter what this is typically captured in a 2D environment which can highlight more noticeable imbalances, and foot striking patterns. These are valuable but can be limited in the data they can provide. The 3D gait analysis involves 35 joint markers which break down your movements into 22 detailed graphs. The 8 motion capture cameras allow for a complete 360 view of your form from practically every angle imaginable.
Biomechanics Database
The data captured by our cameras is not just used to see your movements, it is uploaded into a web report for detailed graphs, statistics, and recommendations. Your patterns are compared to a database of uninjured elite runners so that we can see what we need to work on to help you mimic the most efficient movements. So not only can we see how you move, we can see how close or far off you are from the most consistent, injury-free athletes. Once we create a program or a plan for you to become more efficient you will see less injury and new PR's! The database is also smart enough to provide training advice on how to make corrections.
What all do you get?
Your 3D gait analysis gives us a full body assessment of your running technique, so on your portal you will see a video playback of what your form looks like. You can rotate this screen around in any direction for a complete 360 degree view. There will also be tabs for advice, coaching, and the philosophy behind each recommendation. The other half of the portal will have two tabs for training advice and details. The details will give you basic parameters like a still frame visual progression of your stride, your cadence, pace, and a few other details your physical therapist can break down for you.
From here you can also look at specific details for your upper body, arms/hands, pelvis, and legs/feet. These detailed analyses will show graphs of your movement at 3 different paces compared to the ideal movement pulled from the database of the most efficient runners.
So What does this all mean for you?
When we run we often don't realize that maybe our left arm swings across our body while our right is properly swinging front to back. We also don't often notice how a pattern like that affects every other part of our stride. The upper back pain you feel when you over rotate the upper left shoulder which happens when your hip drops because your glute isn't firing could surprisingly be caused by your ankle stiffness. Who knew?! When you have your form analyzed in a simple 2D manner it is hard to catch and analyze each of these little things. The puzzle is certainly much harder to put together. Plus, as that last example suggests, your patterns can differ depending upon which side of the body we are looking at. Sometimes this is a result of some type of serious injury or some type of muscular dominance you have on one side as opposed to the other (we see this often with runners who come from other sporting backgrounds). No matter what the case, knowing these things will drive the most appropriate re-hab or pre-hab situation.
With all that being said, we want to make sure you are starting out this fall season in the best way possible. With the City of Oaks at the beginning of November, we know that this may be your goal race and we want to make sure you get to the line not only healthy, but with a solid training block behind you. For the month of September will be offering a discount on our 3D gait analysis! If you are interested in taking advantage of this special email abby@runraleighpt.com and get your appointment booked!