Gait analysis UK/London

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Greenkite Apr 2023 12:18pm, 29 Apr 2023 First-time poster!!	0 Greenkite Hi all Starting a new thread as the other one is from 2012. I'm interested in recommendations or general chat about gait analysis, as near to London as possible. I'm keen to gradually increase my distance and want to find and correct imbalances early on. Cheers for any input!
tipsku Apr 2023 6:02pm, 29 Apr 2023 3,002 posts	0 tipsku Hi Greenkite, welcome to the forum. As I'm no longer in the UK, I can't really recommend any places there but I have a go-to place online, the Kinetic Revolution website / youtube channel. When I had recurring ITB issues, I checked out their videos and booked a running gait seminar with them. I learned that I had a contralateral hip drop which I could fix by doing stability exercises for my hips. It took a couple of months but it worked. They have advice and exercise videos for any problem runners may have, be it runners knee, ITB, achilles tendon issues, plantar fasciitis. There are also several videos on the proper running motion and drills how to improve form. I hope that somebody else can help you with a recommendation where you get your gait analysed. Kinetic Revolution is a great resource for cross training and running technique training once you know what to look for.
Greenkite Apr 2023 1:56pm, 30 Apr 2023 2 posts	0 Greenkite Hi Tipsku thanks for the welcome :D I appreciate that and will check them out! I'm currently doing Tom Morrison's Simplistic Mobility Method which has got me and my knees past 10k for the first time :D So nothing is a problem at the moment, just want to see what become one with longer distances. I'm sure kinetic Revolution will be really useful so thanks :D
tipsku Apr 2023 4:41pm, 30 Apr 2023 3,003 posts	0 tipsku Thank you for the tip, I haven't heard of Tom Morrison yet. I just googled the method and telling from the pictures on the home page, it looks like a great overall mobility programme that is suited for everybody, not just for runners. Well done on getting started with it. I agree that we all need to work on general mobility and stability, especially as we age. So it looks like you've got the general mobility for running sorted out. Going longer usually requires strength work so that your muscles can support you for longer. Besides the weekly mobility work, I'm doing a mix of leg/lower body strength work with weights or resistance bands, some core strength and a little upper body sprinkled on top. This is where I found Kinetic Revolution very helpful but they are not the only ones out there. Runners Connect is another great running specific website. I also use Fitnessblender for general conditioning. These are my 3 go-to websites for cross training. I'm not affiliated with any of them, I'm just sharing what has worked for me so far.
Greenkite May 2023 9:22am, 1 May 2023 3 posts	0 Greenkite Thanks! I'm doing the beginner template from barbell medicine and love lifting weights! When I've finished the beginner one I'll do some checking around running specific plans. And I'm a long term fan of fitness blender! I just really want to find out about any imbalances that could become problems at longer distances/more training as I'm 48 and haven't got time to just discover them through getting injured haha! Cheers for the welcome and signposts
tipsku May 2023 12:57pm, 1 May 2023 3,008 posts	0 tipsku I understand your concerns. When I trained for my first ultra, I discovered the hip imbalance and I learned the hard way through injury. It's great that you want to prevent it before it happens. I got an assessment by a physio who told me that my right leg was 10 mm longer than my left (up to 5 mm is normal, most people are a bit asymmetric) and that I needed 5 mm insoles or heel cushions to elevate the left hip a bit. Otherwise I would always run with a tilted hip and that's a risk for hip and knee problems. So I have 5 mm cushions in all my running shoes. In terms of specific exercises, I found the Kinetic Revolution 30 day challenge which focuses on hip stability and strength. That was my gateway into conditioning. I'm 41 and I've noticed that I need to put in a bit more work now than I did when I was 30.
Greenkite May 2023 8:27pm, 12 May 2023 4 posts	0 Greenkite Updating to say I've been to The Running School in Acton for the analysis and will have 5 more sessions of corrective coaching. Seems good so far.
tipsku May 2023 3:35pm, 14 May 2023 3,104 posts	0 tipsku That's great. Keep us updated on your progress.
Greenkite May 2023 12:33pm, 24 May 2023 5 posts	0 Greenkite Well so far we have tried "activating" my glutes haha - so I've gone from a slow shuffle to actually picking my feet up and I can confirm that my glutes are definitely activated! Running is now much more effort and it's hard to go as slow as I was before. First 5 mile run with the new technique this morning and I survived! They seem thorough and I trust them
tipsku Jun 2023 5:16pm, 3 Jun 2023 3,166 posts	0 tipsku That's great to hear! Getting used to the new technique will take some time, your glutes will also need a couple of weeks to respond to the increased demand. Take it easy at the beginning; rather go for several shorter runs per week than a few longer runs. Glute activation was also something I needed. When the pelvis isn't level - as it was in my case - the glutes have problems firing properly because they are constantly under strain or elongated. Muscles can't work properly if they are elongated. I improved pelvic stability first and then I had to relearn how to activate the glutes. It felt differently and my running pace improved. It took a several weeks until I was used to it and it felt more natural. I also used mental cues such as picking up my feet ever so slightly and focusing an improved knee drive.