When it comes to running, consistency is key—but so is prevention. Whether you’re an experienced marathoner, a weekend 5K runner, or just getting started, scheduling a run analysis once a year can make a huge difference in your performance, recovery, and overall health.
We’ve seen firsthand how subtle changes—such as training cycles, new shoes, mileage bumps, and life stress—can impact your form. A yearly run analysis can help you catch these subtle drifts before they turn into injury.
Pairing run form work with strength training for your hips, calves, and trunk—and following smart programming with gradual progressions, cutback weeks, and terrain variation—dramatically lowers your risk of overuse injuries while keeping you strong under fatigue.
Why it Matters
A run analysis isn’t just for injured runners—it’s for anyone who wants to improve run form, perform at their best, and lower their risk of injury. By capturing your movement in a slow-motion video, our Doctors of Physical Therapy can look at every stage of your stride. This allows us to:
- Identify the root cause of pain
- Pinpoint areas of high pressure or stress
- Show how form contributes to issues like shin splints, chronic Achilles tendonitis, or knee and hip pain
- Provide recommendations to adjust your running mechanics and prevent future problems
With yearly run analysis, you can spot patterns of overuse before they cause discomfort, so you can avoid the cycle of repetitive injuries and keep progressing safely.
What to Expect
During your run analysis, we will use slow-motion video and/or 3D motion to provide you with:
- An assessment of cadence, foot strike, hip/knee control, and truck position
- A footwear review
- A clear action plan, such as form cues, drills, focused strength training, and performance progressions
We offer 2D, 3D, and virtual gain analysis options depending on your goals and needs:
2D Gait Analysis
Using video captured from multiple angles, we evaluate foot strike, cadence, and form across different paces. You’ll see your stride broken down frame by frame, giving insight into where issues may start. This is the most common first step and is often covered by insurance if related to an injury.
3D Gait Analysis
For a more technical breakdown, our Raleigh clinic offers 3D motion capture. Sensors are placed on key joints to measure how your body moves through each phase of the stride. This is especially valuable for runners who haven’t found answers with 2D analysis or who want the most precise data available.
Virtual Gait Analysis
For patients that don’t live near our PT clinics in Raleigh, Apex, Cary, or Wake Forest, we offer virtual gain analysis. You can send us video footage, and we’ll meet with you via telehealth or provide a detailed report of your running mechanics.
The Annual Advantage
Just like an annual physical or dental check-up, a yearly run analysis is a proactive step to protect your health. Running places repetitive stress on the lower extremities, and even small form changes can build up over time. An annual review ensures that:
- You catch issues before they turn into injuries
- Your form evolves with your training and mileage
- You stay aligned with your performance goals—whether that’s shaving minutes off your 10K or keeping injuries at bay during marathon season
We’ve worked with countless runners who have experienced “post-marathon form drift”—where the fatigue and stress of training quietly shifted their mechanics. Left unchecked, those shifts can snowball into chronic pain. With a run analysis, we identify those changes early, give you targeted drills and strength exercises, and adjust your training plan so you can keep running strong.
Ready to Schedule Your Run Analysis?
We’ve performed thousands of gait analyses for runners across Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest. Whether you’re chasing a PR or chasing your kids in the backyard, an annual run analysis will keep you strong, efficient, and injury-free.
Run analysis is just one part of our broader approach to keeping runners healthy and performing at their best. From injury prevention and strength training to rehabilitation and performance coaching, we can integrate gait analysis whenever it’s most helpful—whether you’re healthy and looking to optimize your form or recovering from an injury.
Contact us to make 2D, 3D, or virtual gait analysis part of your yearly training plan and take a proactive step toward stronger, safer running.