Running Assessments
Whether you’re new to running, preparing for your next event, returning from injury or dealing with an ongoing running-related problem, a Running Assessment can help you better understand how your body is managing the demands of running.
Running-related injuries rarely come down to one single factor. Previous injuries, sudden changes in training load, running experience, footwear, running surface, strength and aspects of running technique can all contribute to the overall injury picture.
Our Running Assessments therefore look beyond running form alone, combining physical testing, training history and detailed gait analysis to identify areas that may be contributing to your symptoms or limiting your running ability.
What Does A Running Assessment Include?
Our comprehensive assessment includes:
- Range of motion assessment of key areas including the hips, knees and hamstrings
- Muscle power testing of the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius
- Functional testing, including calf endurance, single-leg squat and hop testing
- VALD ForceDecks testing, including single-leg jumping, repeated hopping and single-leg drop-jump assessment
- Video running gait analysis to assess your running technique
- Review of your running history, current training load, footwear, running surfaces and previous injuries
Rather than looking for one "perfect" running technique, we assess how these different factors interact and whether there are practical changes that may help reduce unnecessary loading, improve efficiency or manage your symptoms.
What Can We Identify?
Video analysis allows us to look more closely at aspects of your running gait that can influence how forces are distributed throughout the body.
This may include your running cadence, stride length, foot posture, vertical oscillation and step width, alongside other individual movement patterns.
These findings aren't considered in isolation. Your running technique is interpreted alongside your symptoms, strength, training history and current running demands to develop an individualised plan.
A Running Assessment may be particularly useful for:
- New runners looking for guidance on safely progressing their running
- Recreational runners preparing for an event, from a 5 km through to longer-distance races
- Runners experiencing recurrent injuries
- Runners returning after a significant injury
- Athletes preparing for pre-season, including football, soccer, netball and basketball players
- Anyone wanting to better understand their running technique, strength and physical capacity
What to Expect
Your first session will include a review of your running history, training load, previous injuries and current goals, followed by assessment of your mobility, lower-limb strength, power and functional capacity.
We’ll then record you running on a treadmill for a detailed video gait analysis.
Your second session will focus on discussing the key findings from your strength and running assessments and how they relate to your individual needs.
Where appropriate, we’ll trial running technique modifications, prescribe an individualized strength program, and provide guidance around your ongoing running and training.
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Running Assessment Physiotherapists
Aidan Thatcher
Physiotherapist & Member of My Local Physio Sport
