What is running gait?

The cycle a leg goes through when running is called the running gait. It has two main phases: stance and swing. The swing phase has a subphase that is unique to running, called float or flight.

The stance phase includes the time when your foot initially makes contact with the ground until the body is over the foot. This is the period of impact and absorption.

While your body is moving forward, your foot transitions into the swing phase of gait. Your leg will flex at the hip and knee before making contact with the ground again.

The float stage is when, during the swing phase, neither foot is in contact with the ground and your body is floating in the air. This is the main difference between a running and walking gait.

What are the phases of running gait?

There are two phases in one running gait cycle. Let's look at what happens during each phase.

Stance phase

The stance phases of running can be further broken down into the following contact points (2):

• initial contact
• mid-stance
• toe off

Initial contact, or heel strike, is when your foot hits the ground. However, where your foot hits the ground first can vary.

Each person's gate is special. The way you stand could mean that your first contact with the ground is with your heel, the middle of your foot, or your toes.

The force exerted on your body by the ground is greatest when your foot first contacts the ground, causing the most impact at that point in the gait cycle.

The purpose of biomechanics research is to find the best way for your body to make contact with the ground in order to minimize the force of impact on your body. Your ankle and knee muscles help to absorb some of the impact and protect your joints, but how much they can do this varies depending on your individual body type.

Also, there are variances depending on your footwear.

For example, people who run with shoes tend to land on their heels more often than people who run barefoot. When you run barefoot, the impact of landing on your heel is much greater. So, people who run barefoot usually take shorter strides and land on their forefoot first.

After initial contact with the ground, the body moves forwards over the foot and leg, until the body is almost directly above the foot, with the knee slightly bent. This is called mid-stance.

At mid-stance, your body transitions from absorbing force to preparing to generate propulsive force. The foot rolls in from a supinated position to a pronated position.

Toe-off is the last phase of the gait cycle when your body is ahead of your foot. The hip, knee, and ankle joints are extending to propel your body forward.

This means that, while one limb is on the ground during the stance phase, the other limb is in the air swinging. The stance phase lasts for about 40% of the whole gait cycle, which is shorter than the swing phase (6).

Swing phase

The forefoot pulls up and rolls in as the foot leaves the ground, and the knee flexes to allow for optimal clearance of the foot over the ground during the swing.

The swing phase of walking lasts longer than the stance phase. It begins when the foot loses contact with the ground, and ends when the foot contacts the ground again.

There is a short time during which neither foot is touching the ground because the two legs are swinging at the same time. This is called the float phase.

Float phase

The phase of running that is different from walking is known as the float subphase. This happens during the swing phase.

When walking, your feet alternate contact with the ground. However, when running, both feet are off the ground at the same time for a moment.

Some research has found that runners who are very fit can make their flight time last longer. The most efficient runners can stay in the air 11% longer than runners who are not in good shape (7).

Arm swing during running gait

While running, the arms should be moving in coordination with the opposite leg. This means that both arms should move forward and backward together. The arms play an important role in counteracting the rotation of the body from the opposite leg, which helps to maintain proper running technique.

Pronation, overpronation, or supination?

A gait analysis is often accompanied by the word pronation. Pronation is when the ankle turns inward to absorb shock whenever the foot makes contact with the ground. A little flexibility is needed for pronation to occur, and it is actually a good thing.

As long as the leg is straight and aligned—from ankle to knee to hip—when it's weight-bearing, we're in business. Overpronation happens when the ankle turns too far inward, pushing the lower leg out of alignment and forcing the inside of the foot to absorb too much shock. That can lead to a whole range of injuries, with problems that can even move up to the lower back! Not ideal. Often, overpronation is associated with lower or fallen arches, but this isn't always the case—overpronation can be seen in a wide variety of runners, and for very different reasons. Some runners overpronate for reasons that can be fixed by strengthening, mobility work, and improving technique, and that's why it's always a good idea to do a gait analysis every time you buy a pair of running shoes—as you grow and develop as a runner, your gait can (and often will!) change.

Strengthen those muscles

You should always keep in mind that you are asking your muscles to do something they are not used to when you are just starting to run. This can cause some muscles to be sore. This is also a factor that should be considered when analyzing someone's gait. If the muscles cannot support the body properly while running, the joints have to make up for it. This can cause long term problems such as instability in the knees or hips that are not aligned correctly. It is important to keep in mind that your body is only as strong as its weakest muscle. If you have strong calves but weak glutes or tight hips, this can cause overpronation (flat feet) or your feet pointing outward when you walk or run. This puts your legs out of alignment and can cause problems. There are luckily ways you can strengthen the weak muscles even when you are not running.

Improving your running form

By analyzing your gait, we can tell how you strike the ground, which will impact what kind of shoes you should get. For example, if you strike with your forefoot, you might not need as much cushioning in the heel as someone who strikes with their heel would.

As you continue to run and engage in different types of training, your form will gradually get better. However, there are some things you will need to keep an eye on and do drills for. We will have lots of videos and posts about this for you to look at!

Just having a chat

The purpose of a gait analysis is to understand how someone runs so that they can be properly advise on which type of shoes to buy. The analysis is based on both the biomechanics of the person's body and the questions that they are asked about their running habits.

Why get a gait analysis?

Our experts take all the information you've given us about your running habits and goals and use it to figure out which pair of shoes is right for you. A gait analysis can also help us figure out why you've been experiencing certain aches and pains, and what you can do to help yourself feel better.

A running gait analysis can provide insight into the mechanics of your running.

An analysis of your movement can help you improve your stride length and foot contact placement. It can also help you improve joint support and control movement.

Analyzing running gait includes examining the following components:

Frontal view

• Are your arms crossing the midline of your body?
• Is your trunk rotating excessively during each leg’s advancement?
• Is your pelvis dropping to the opposite side of the stance leg?
• Is your pelvis rotating forward excessively?
• Are your knees aligning with the feet?
• Are your feet landing just inside the width of the pelvis?
• Are your feet landing excessively rolled in or out?

Side view

• Is your head upright and stable?
• Are your arms flexing ahead of and extending behind your torso?
• Is your trunk rotating excessively?
• Is your pelvis rotating forward excessively with each stride?
• Is your foot landing in front of your body?
• Is your knee bent upon landing?
• Are your trailing knee and ankle bending to prepare for swinging your leg through?

The most common issues seen during the gait cycle are overstriding or landing with your foot ahead of your center of mass, excessive vertical translation of the center of mass, and insufficient arm swing.

When you land with your foot in front of your center of mass, it creates a braking effect that slows down your forward momentum.

The higher your body bobs up and down, the more energy it takes, which slows you down.