Gait Analysis Radcliffe

Have you ever wondered if the way you walk, or run could be causing you pain?

Maybe your knees ache after a jog, your lower back feels stiff in the morning, or you keep getting blisters no matter what shoes you wear.

The reality is these things don’t normally come out of nowhere, sometimes they’re caused by the way your feet contact the ground over a period. And that’s exactly why a gait analysis can be so useful, it can rule out issues or help identify problems. 

At Radcliffe Osteopaths, we don’t just look at your feet and guess what’s going on, we gather detailed information for expert analysis. We’re looking at how your weight shifts, where the pressure lands when you step, and whether one side of your body is working harder than the other, instabilities or restrictions in movement.

The goal? To figure out if there’s an issue through the gait cycle that could be leading to discomfort or even long-term injury. 

So, when should you get a gait analysis? The simple answer: before pain, this sets a baseline so we know where you are currently, this is something professional premier league clubs do so they have specific markers for comparison. Most people wait until they’ve already developed an injury, but by that point, the damage is done. A gait analysis can help spot issues early, giving you the chance to fix them before they turn into something more serious. 

Of course, if you’re already dealing with aches, pains, or recurring injuries, that’s an even bigger reason to get checked. Knee pain, hip stiffness, foot discomfort can be signs that something’s off in the way you move. And if you’ve tried different shoes, stretches, or treatments with no real improvement, a gait analysis could finally give you the answers you need. 

Even if you’re feeling fine, a gait analysis can be a great tool if you’re a runner, an athlete, or just someone who spends a lot of time on their feet such as at work. Small imbalances might not bother you now, but over time they add up and can then start affecting your performance or lead to avoidable injuries. 

The bottom line? The best time for a gait analysis is before you think you need one this can maximise performance and ground contact.

If you’ve been dealing with aches, pains, or recurring injuries that effect you sports and activities you might be wondering if a gait analysis could help. But before booking, the big question is how much does it actually cost? 

At Radcliffe Osteopaths, a full gait analysis and functional assessment is just £57. And this isn’t just a quick look at your feet; it’s a detailed assessment to figure out exactly how your body moves, where the pressure lands when you walk or run, and whether small imbalances could be causing you discomfort. 

The real value here isn’t just in the price it’s in the information you get. We’re looking for the root cause of pain or discomfort, not just treating the symptoms. Whether it’s knee pain, back stiffness, or even repeated injuries that seem to come out of nowhere, a gait analysis can give you the answers you need. And once we know what’s going on, we can help you make the right change whether that’s implementing an exercise routine, adjusting your posture, finding better footwear, or exploring custom orthotics. 

If you have the equipment and data analysis, then absolutely. If you haven’t and you are tempted to try and figure out how your gait cycle from ground contact to body function, maybe by watching yourself walk in the mirror or filming yourself running, then it’s a no.

Whilst this might give you a rough idea of how you move, it won’t give you any real, detailed information you need to make proper changes. 

At Radcliffe Osteopaths, we’re not just looking at your feet, we’re gathering accurate data on how your weight shifts, where the pressure lands when you step, and whether small imbalances could be leading to pain or injury. The dynamic/static and balance scanner has 8000 pressure sensors, a leading high-tech scanner that isn’t just to notice something looks “off” or the arch is dropped, it’s to understand exactly what exactly is  happening and maybe what needs to change. 

Once we have that information is collected, we can ask ‘What do we want the information for’. Maybe it’s about correcting your posture, adjusting your movement, or strengthening certain areas to help with back pain or ankle issues. Or perhaps you’d benefit from custom orthotics to give your feet the exact support they need to help rehabilitation. The key is, you don’t just want to see your gait you want to use that knowledge to address the issues that brought you to the point of looking at a gait analysis, this usually includes one or more one of  following, diagnosis, rehabilitation, treatment or improving performance.  

Any questions send them along.

Keep well, stay active

Francis

Whilst a gait scan analysis tells us a whole load of things, often people ask just about three of them, probably because they get a lot of attention on social media, these are:  How your foot strikes the ground. If your foot is rolling too far in (overpronation) or not enough (supination), it can throw off your whole movement pattern and put stress where it doesn’t belong, we also need to note these are natural movements in the feet.

Secondly people often look at and examine the arches when you walk or run. Are they collapsing too much, or are they too rigid? Either extreme can make it harder for your foot to absorb shock properly, leading to ongoing pain and discomfort. A visual analysis doesn’t really identify if it’s the natural pathway of the gait cycle compared to a dynamic gait analysis which can highlight instability and rigidity at specific point through the cycle.

And finally, we look at the overall alignment of your body including your knees, hips, and even your posture, all of which can play a role in how much strain your foot and ankle plantar is under.

These issues aren’t always obvious to a visual observation with greater information and data available from an advanced gait scan, which helps pinpoint exactly what’s going wrong so we can address the root cause of your pain, rather than just treating the symptoms.

Any questions send them along.

Keep well, stay active

Francis