Running Wild......
Selecting the right trainers for Sports

Wilds Sports in Jewry Street is possibly 'Winchesters’ longest established retailer. Stocking a wide variety of sports equipment, footwear and clothing for the serious sports person. Wilds provide a friendly advice and service, and running is a key area in which the staff offer expert technical advice. This is backed up by a Gait Analysis service.
More and more people are running and this may be for a variety of reasons… some to keep fit, some to lose weight, some as part of a training program and some for enjoyment - At the gym, on the road or on Winchesters many footpaths and trails
One thing all these people have in common is needing to understand the importance of running in the correct footwear to avoid injuries and improve performance. Buying the wrong running shoes can leave you injured and unprotected and by the time you have found the correct ones you may have wasted money too.
Gait analysis provides runners with essential information about their running style. This is important however long they have been running, as only through knowing their running style will they be able to select the right shoes.
The major focus of gait analysis is to measure the degree of pronation. Pronation is the natural inward roll of the foot as the outside part of the heel strikes the ground. This roll acts as a shock absorber for the leg and body, optimally distributing the force of the impact of the heel hitting the ground.
Runners (and walkers) can basically be put into 2 categories – Overpronator or Neutral
Overpronation is when the feet roll inward too much
Neutral is when the foot keeps straight
There is a third category - Underpronation (or supination) this is where the feet don’t roll inward enough. However this is very unusual .
Gait analysis matches the runner’s degree of pronation with the correct shoe type, with the aims of counter-balancing the degree of overpronation, helping reduce the risk of injury and improving running efficiency.
WHAT IS VIDEO GAIT ANALYSIS?
It involves running for a few minutes on a treadmill while a video is made of the runner’s feet. This footage is then slowed down and analysed in detail by an expert who will explain the findings. Runners can then try a variety of shoes selecting cushioning, structured cushioning or maximum support options according to the results.
As well as helping runners to find the right shoe through assessing the moment of the foot, video gait analysis also looks at the leg and body’s movement and efficiency to see if the analysis can help the runner further. By slowing the video down and viewing the different running stages in detail, we can help identify certain movements which may be triggering injuries or affecting running efficiency.
Pop in and speak to a member of staff to book an appointment with one of Wilds Sports running experts.

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