Running Assessment
Run better, run less injured, run faster
An estimated 65% of all runners experience running-related injuries each year. Research indicates that biomechanical running assessments can not only help runners run more efficiently but it can also help prevent common running injuries such as:
- Runners knee
- Jumpers knee
- Knee pain
- Iliotibial band friction syndrome
- Shin pain
- Low back pain
- Hip pain
- Heel pain
- Foot and ankle pain
- Plantar fascitis
- Hip Bursitis
- Hamstring muscle strains
- Achilles tendon pain
- Compartment syndromes
- Stress fractures
- Shin splints
- Patellofemoral pain syndromes
- Snapping hip syndrome
Take a look at our interview with Kelly-Ann Varey, Australiam Ultra Marathon Runner, about her running assessment.
Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy offer runners from Gungahlin, Canberra City, and the wider Canberra community an opportunity to improve running form and prevent running injuries with our comprehensive running assessments.
A running assessment at Sport & Spinal Physio entails an initial static biomecahanical assessment to determine your flexibility, strength and alignment. We will explain to you the issues that need addressing and suggest strategies for correcting these problems, including prescribing exercises. To fully correct any biomechanical problems may require subsequent sessions.
After our initial biomechanical assessment, we then dynamically assess your running technique looking at important features such as:
- upright posture
- upper body motion
- arm swing
- leg backswing
- relaxed body
- shoulder position
- knee angle
- drive
- breathing
- hip position
- stride length
- stride rate
- core lumbo-pelvic control
- foot strike
- foot biomechanics
- impact forces
Why get a running assessment with us?
- Shoes and Orthotics: Any foot dysfunction that leads to poor running technique and possible injury can be corrected with appropriate running shoes recommended by our podiatrist, and with our custom-made orthotics.
- Experience: Our physios and podiatrists run for sport themselves and we have performed running assessments for many runners from Canberra.
- Knowledge: Our running assessment physio was a previous international middle distance runner as well as a coach of NSW state track distance runners.
- Videography: We video your before and after assessment running technique to ensure we have improved your running position and your running form.
- Running drills: We will improve your running action by showing you proper technique along with some running drills.
- Report: We will provide a report to you in an easy to understand format outlining – your static and dynamic biomechanical assessment findings; the correction strategies (including any prescriptive exercises) for any identified biomechanical problems; training programme recommendations; running form problems; and any recommended running drills.
What to bring?
- Your running shorts
- Running shoes (old and new)
- Any orthotics
Please allow up to 60min for a running assessment.
The final word:
Tom Tellez, coach of 9 Olympic gold medal winner Carl Lewis, says it takes 500 hours of drill work to learn how to run properly. We all taking running for granted because we can all do it, but running is a skill, just like learning a forehand in tennis. This is why not always the fittest runner wins but rather the runner that is more efficient. The better the technique, the less risk of injury. So take a proactive approach to training and have a running assessment with Sport Spinal Physiotherapy to get you to run faster and stay off our treatment tables.
Running assessments should be an ongoing process because, as you train, your body will adapt and you may find that your running form changes from year to year.