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Gait Analysis
- Sapphire Running Team
- Jul 20, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 5, 2025
What is gait analysis all about?
There are many, many runners around the world whose initial running shoe choice was determined by running on a treadmill for a minute or so. Welcome to the world of gait analysis. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But what is it and why is it used so religiously by specialty running stores around the world. We have a good look and explore some of the pros and cons.
What is gait analysis?
Gait analysis, also known as walking or motion analysis, is an assessment of the way the body moves, usually by walking or running, from one place to another. Unfortunately what is offered in speciality running stores is also called gait analysis. The difference between a clinical gait analysis and a running store analysis could not be more different.
Clinical gait analysis
The process is used in the clinical world to assess irregularities in locomotion. An individual's gait is a combination of complex functions involving use of the body's visual, somatosensory and vestibular systems. Problems within any of these systems, as well as problems in the joints involved, can lead to postural and gait abnormalities.
This process occurs using advanced technology and can take well over 2 hours. Its primary goal is not to determine pronation and help in shoe selection; it is much broader than that, but of course it can most definitely do that and in great detail. A patient's gait can be evaluated in terms of step length, stride length, cadence, cycle time and joint angles, by analysing data provided by a number of different devices.
These are:
Hi tech video cameras, linked to computers - these show movement in slow motion
Markers placed on the skin - these monitor motion
Platform sensors - these measure footstep pressure and stride length
Electrodes placed on skin - these monitor muscle movement
Infrared markers - these measure joint movement in three dimensions
This assessment fully evaluates how a person stands, walks or runs. It can assess current and potential future injuries, discover any muscle or nerve abnormality and check on progression of diseases such as arthritis.
Running store gait analysis
In contrast the gait analysis carried out in store only takes a few minutes, with often less then one minute of running on a treadmill, and its sole purpose is to assess your pronation and find a shoe to match. Ideally the store staff should replay your run and explain exactly what it means. They will then suggest 3 or 4 shoes for you to try on that match the type the test has shown are suitable for your pronation type.
What's pronation?
Pronation refers to the way in which your foot rolls inwards as it strikes the floor. It’s your body’s way of distributing impact, and a natural part of the gait cycle. Understanding your pronation type is important for selecting the right type of running shoe and ultimately could help you to avoid injury.
There are three types of pronation typical in running. These are neutral, overpronation and underpronation (or supination).
What is considered a neutral foot type?
If you have a neutral foot type, you’re likely to deliver even distribution upon initial contact with the ground. When your foot lands, it follows an S-shaped pattern from the outer heel to the big toe to absorb shock and support your body weight. Runners with a neutral foot type are generally less likely to experience injuries related to shock absorption.
What is underpronation?
Underpronation (or supination) is when your foot rolls outward upon impact. This can put additional pressure on the outside of your foot and smaller toes, causing increased strain to your ankle and lower leg. Underpronators may be more prone to experiencing running injuries such as plantar fasciitis and shin splints.
What is overpronation?
Overpronation is when your foot lands on the outside heel and rolls or pronates inward. The inner edge of your foot takes the brunt of the impact, leading to pressure in the big toe and second toe. Knowing this, overpronators may experience shin splints, plantar fasciitis, bunions and heel spurs.
What shoes are for what type of runner?
Neutral running shoes are designed for people who have a neutral running pattern and for those who underpronate, whereas support shoes are for runners who overpronate and need some extra corrective support. Neutral running shoes tend to have more of their cushioning in the heel as it's not needed in the sole and they are lighter as they need need the support tech needed in stability shoes, which as a result are often much heavier.
Runners who overpronate wear stability running shoes designed to counter this pronation and give extra support. These shoes encourage the foot into a more neutral position when it hits the ground. If you overpronate but wear neutral shoes, you may feel pain in your feet and ankles. These shoes won't be giving enough support.
Is gait analysis reliable?
The two hour, comprehensive gait analysis is very reliable. It doesn't necessarily mean that the results should 100% determine the choice of shoe if you're using it for this purpose, but it is a way better assessment of a runner's pronation that a 30 second run on a treadmill that running shops offer. That is flawed for a lot of reasons:
Many runners have never been on a treadmill
Many runners who undergo gait analysis instore have never even run on a treadmill before and doing this for the first time in front of others, while their performance is filmed does not often end well. It is fairly clear that this is unlikely to be their normal running gait.
Many are not even wearing running shoes, or running socks
Runners are supposed to be given a pair of neutral shoes to run in, but this often doesn't always happen. Many people end up running in the shoes they came into the store with, or some run only in socks.
20/30 seconds is not long enough
On a busy day in a store where there's a queue of people waiting, the amount of time a runner has on the treadmill will be very limited and often just 20 seconds or so. This is not long enough to get an accurate indication of a runners' pronation. Runners can also change their running style the more tired they become which won't be obvious on such a short test.
Many staff are insufficiently trained
New and inexperienced staff won't know to use the tech properly and can't interpret the results, leading to the wrong shoes being recommended. Those with plenty of experience are generally not a concern but for someone who is new to this it can be complex and confusing.
Often the tech isn't working correctly
It is common for there to be technical issues with the technology and when this happens the shop team will use their own visual cues as a substitute for feedback from the tech. This then becomes very subjective and it can be a real issue if they are not sufficiently trained.
There are many running stores where the analysis is carried out professionally and with due care and attention. However even when that is the case some of the above flaws are still applicable.
What's the alternative?
It is possible to choose running shoes without the quick in store gait analysis. Here are some options:
Talk and walk
Running stores are the best place to buy running stores, especially if you're new to running. Their staff should be experienced and trained sufficiently to understand what each shoe model is designed for. Many of them will be runners who understand the challenges associated with choosing shoes. If you are experienced and run in the same brand and model of shoe remember that the new version can often be very different to the previous iteration. Don't just order the latest pair online without trying them on in a store first (and then buy them from that store!).
Talk to store staff and ask to try on some shoes that you can walk around the store in. If the store is in an indoor shopping center they will often let you walk outside the store. After a few minutes between you it will soon become clear what the best options are. Show the shop staff the shoes you're wearing and they'll be able to see from the soles if there are pronation issues that need to be taken into account.
The wet foot test - the arch test
It's not very scientific but it can be effective. Get the soles of your feet wet and then step on to a dark surface and check out the footprint you make. The degree to which the sole of your foot is visible in the footprint will give you an indication of your arch type – and the kind of shoe you might need.
Some runners have flat feet, where almost all of the foot is in contact with the ground and you can see the whole of the foot's outline – these people are often overpronators. Others have high arches, where the middle of the foot is off the ground, you'll be able to see the heel and front of the foot – these people often underpronate. Neutral runners will usually be somewhere in between. The heel and front foot are visible and some but not all of the middle is visible - you are neutral
Look at how you stand
This is the least scientific approach of them all, and not one that should be used in its own right, but instead to reinforce an initial view. In your normal shoes look down at your feet. If they both face straight forward, it's more than likely that you are a neutral runner, but if they spread out from back to front in a V, it’s likely that you overpronate. Finally, if they curve inwards from back to front like an A it is quite probable that you underpronate.
What if you have the wrong shoe?
The most important outcome is that you get fitted with the right shoe. You'll know soon enough if you have the wrong one as you'll start to get aches and pains that you haven't had before, for example in your knees or achilles tendon area. There are many horror stories of neutral runners being fitted with stability shoes and having multiple injury issues as a result. Stability shoes, aimed at over pronators, can cause major issues if they are recommended to runners who don't need them.
If you are a runner getting fitted for your first pair of running shoes and you are offered stability shoes, then discuss this in detail in store. They will have additional tech to support the foot, which will make them heavier and this could lead to issues. Some stability shoes are of course much more extreme than others and if you are offered a shoe like a Brooks Beast or a Saucony Omni then this option needs to be even more clearly explained to you. If you get this choice wrong they can cause untold damage. A shoe like an Asics Kayano is relatively mild, but a Beast or Omni is not.
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