Running Gait Analysis in Chattanooga: 75-Minute Assessment With a Certified Analyst
Running gait analysis in Chattanooga from MOTiV is for runners who keep getting hurt and want a certified analyst to find out why, so you can train without guessing. The 75-minute session with Storm Wilson, PT, DPT, OCS, a Level 2 certified running gait analyst and 2:52 marathoner, includes video analysis and a corrective plan for $190, with or without a current injury.
- Duration
- 75 minutes
- Price
- $190One session, self-pay
- Who it is for
- Runners at any level, injured or not, from first 5K to marathon
- How to book
- Call (423) 668-0406 or send a note from the contact page.
What does a running gait analysis include?
At MOTiV it includes a biomechanical assessment of how you run, video analysis, and a corrective plan, in one 75-minute session with Storm Wilson, PT, DPT, OCS, a Level 2 Certified Gait Analyst through RunDNA, certified November 18, 2022.
What happens in the session
You run on a treadmill and overground at speeds chosen for your goal. Storm films from the front and side, reviews slow-motion video and takes snapshots at major phases of your stride or where he sees an issue. He also completes a full strength and mobility assessment and reviews your footwear for the running you do.
Storm is also a Certified Endurance Running Coach with a 2:52 marathon, so the plan is written for someone who still has to hit their weekly mileage. Gait analysis is one of MOTiV's sports medicine services in Chattanooga, next to physical therapy and return-to-sport testing.
How to tell whether any gait analysis was thorough
Whoever you book with, these are fair questions to ask beforehand:
- Will you ask about my injury history and current training, or only watch me run?
- Do you film from more than one angle, and at more than one speed?
- Do you test strength or mobility, or only look at the video?
- Will you look at my shoes?
- What do I take home, and is there a follow-up?
Is gait analysis worth it for runners?
It is worth it when you bring a question: a recurring pain, a race you want to train for without breaking down, or a form change you are not sure about. Without a question, a gait analysis is interesting but optional.
Storm looks at cadence, overstriding and side-to-side collapse when injury correction is the goal. For performance, he also examines vertical oscillation, foot turnover and power production. He tries cues or corrective exercises, then films again to see what changed.
"We can look at performance enhancement or injury correction."
Good times to book:
- The same knee, hip, shin or foot pain shows up at the same mileage every training block.
- You are returning to running after an injury and want to know what to watch for.
- You are about to add volume for a half or full marathon.
A shoe fitting at a running store is about choosing shoes. A gait analysis with a physical therapist looks at how you move and can take your pain history into account. If you are in pain now, it may make more sense to start with a sports physical therapy; ask when you call.
Will changing my running form lower my injury risk?
Sometimes, and the honest answer is that research measures loading better than it measures injuries. Small changes can reduce load on particular joints, but no study can promise that a form change will keep you from getting hurt.
One example: in a treadmill study of 45 healthy adult runners, raising step rate by 5% meant the knee absorbed less mechanical energy, and raising it by 10% also lowered the load at the hip. The authors concluded that "subtle increases in step rate can substantially reduce the loading to the hip and knee joints during running." They measured loading in a single session, not injury rates over months.
That is why a useful analysis ends in a short list of changes tied to your problem, rather than a list of everything that looks unusual on video.
What does a gait analysis cost, and how do I prepare?
$190for the 75-minute session
$190 for the 75-minute session, paid directly to MOTiV. The price is the same whether you are injured or not.
Before
Bring everything you need to run, including comfortable running clothes and the shoes you use for easy runs and tempo or speed sessions. Tell Storm what you want to assess when you book.
After
You take home detailed results and a plan with practical changes to your training. Storm explains the findings so you know what each change is meant to address.
Before you book
Where is MOTiV's gait analysis done?
At MOTiV, inside Be Strong at 2101 Chestnut St unit 113, Chattanooga, TN 37408. Free parking lot and street parking.
Hours are Monday and Wednesday 8 AM to 4 PM, Tuesday and Thursday 8 AM to 6 PM, Friday 8 AM to noon, closed Saturday and Sunday. Tuesday and Thursday run until 6 PM if you need a slot after work.
What do runners ask before booking?
Is it worth getting a gait analysis for running?
It is worth it when you have a specific question to answer: pain that returns at the same point in a run, a training block you want to start without the old niggle, or a form change you want guidance on. If you run pain-free and like how training is going, it is optional.
How long does a gait analysis take?
The running gait analysis at MOTiV takes 75 minutes and costs $190. That time covers the assessment, the video analysis and the corrective plan you leave with.
Do I need to be injured to get a gait analysis?
No. Any runner may book directly. A gait analysis can be useful before a race build, after a change in shoes, or when you simply want a second look at your form. If you are hurting, say so when you book, because pain changes what the session should focus on.
Should I get a gait analysis from a physical therapist or a running store?
Go to a physical therapist when pain or an injury is part of the question, and to a running store when the question is which shoe to buy. MOTiV's 75-minute analysis is run by a physical therapist who is also a Level 2 certified running gait analyst, so your injury history is part of the assessment.
What pairs well with a gait analysis?
Now booking founding clients
Find out what your stride is doing.
Call, or send a short note and tell Storm what is holding you back. You will hear back about the right first visit.
(423) 668-04062101 Chestnut St unit 113, Chattanooga, TN 37408Inside Be Strong