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If pain is interrupting your running, choosing an appointment can feel less straightforward than it should. Do you need an injury assessment, a closer look at your running movement, or both?
At Steps Podiatry & Gait in Inverness, the starting point is the question you need answered. A sports injury assessment focuses on understanding the painful problem and planning treatment. A 3D gait assessment adds detailed information about how you move.
When to start with a sports injury assessment
If you have a new or unresolved foot, ankle or lower-limb problem and need to understand what may be causing it, a sports injury assessment is a useful starting point.
We discuss how the symptoms began, your training and the demands of your sport. The examination is directed by that history and may include movement, strength and relevant functional tests. Diagnostic ultrasound is available where it can help answer a specific question about the foot or ankle.
The assessment provides a basis for discussing treatment, adjustments to training and rehabilitation priorities.
When can 3D gait analysis add value?
A 3D gait assessment examines walking or running movement in more detail using our motion capture treadmill system. It may be useful when your symptoms recur during running, when a wider movement assessment is relevant, or when we want to explore specific questions identified during your clinical assessment.
We consider the movement findings alongside your symptoms, examination, training demands and goals. A measured difference between sides or a particular running pattern needs that context before it can inform a useful recommendation.
How do the appointments work together?
For a runner with a painful ankle after an injury, establishing the nature of the problem may take priority. For a runner with recurring symptoms and questions about how they move, a more detailed gait assessment may become part of the plan.
Your next step should follow the findings. We explain why a further assessment is being considered and which question it is intended to answer.
What should the outcome be?
You should leave with an explanation of the findings and clear priorities for progressing towards your activity or return to sport goals. These may include rehabilitation, a change in training load, footwear advice or a targeted movement strategy, depending on your assessment.
Choose your next step
- Sports injury assessment: for assessment of a painful injury and a treatment plan.
- 3D gait analysis: for a detailed assessment of walking or running movement.
- Ask the team: tell us where it hurts, how long it has been happening and what you want to return to.