Running Gait Analysis
DorsaVi Wearable Sensor Technology
There is a lot that goes into your running gait, and there is no perfect running gait and/or form for everyone, however, there is definitely a better way for YOU to run for your body. When you set out to run, you are asking your body to not only produce a lot of force, but also to absorb a lot, and the more efficiently you do that the more you will enjoy your run.
We recently started using the state of the art DorsaVi, wearable sensor technology to analyze running form and efficiency. While this will never take the place of good old fashion video (do you believe video is old fashion), it is a great adjunct to it. So how does it work? Well we place two sensors on your shins at a specific point, and these sensors look at how much force is applied to your body at each step, and how your body deals with that. We can then take that information, and combine it with what we learn from watching you on video and help you improve how you run.
You may have seen our recent events at Fleet Feet, where we took the sensors and compared data from runs done in various types of shoes and helped people decide which shoes were right for them. Again we are all different and we all have different gait and stride patterns, this technology helps us watch which shoes allow your body to more efficiently absorb and load forces, so they place less stress on your muscles and joints.
Another huge benefit to this system is that you can capture data for up to two hours, and you don’t need to be near the computer while doing it. This means that we can hook you up and send you out for a run in your natural terrain, and analyze that data. We all know that running on a treadmill isn’t exactly like running outside on the road, but before this it would be hard to capture smooth footage of people running outside (even with our special drone). Also what about our trail runners, a treadmill is nothing like what they run on each and everyday, how comparable is that to their normal running. Lastly, and possibly most important, often people will say, “This hurts when I get to around mile 4.” A simple treadmill analysis can only give us a small window into what is going on, but it would be difficult to get data for higher mileage. With our sensors, however, we can hook you up and send you out and look at data over the full run graphed out in front of us. We can see how you use each leg from start to finish, how your cadence changes, how your force absorption strategies change, and work to improve all of that with you.
The winter is coming and the off season is a perfect time to make mechanical and form improvements so you are ready for the spring. If you are interested in one of our analysis packages, please call us, or sign-up online for your appointment today.
