Gait Analysis: The Missing Link in Injury Prevention and Performance
How you move matters—more than you might realize.
At The Regenerative Institute, we believe that understanding the way you walk, run, and move is a critical step in both preventing injury and optimizing performance. That’s where gait analysis comes in.
Whether you're a weekend warrior, recovering from chronic pain, or looking to improve athletic performance, gait analysis offers deep insights into your movement patterns—and how to fix the ones that may be holding you back.
What Is Gait Analysis?
Gait analysis is a detailed evaluation of the way your body moves while walking or running. It involves observing and measuring how your feet, ankles, knees, hips, pelvis, and spine work together during movement.
At The Regenerative Institute, we combine clinical observation, video analysis, and sometimes pressure-sensitive technology or 3D motion capture to assess:
Joint alignment
Muscle activation and symmetry
Stride length and cadence
Weight distribution
Compensatory movements from past injuries
This process helps us pinpoint biomechanical inefficiencies that could be contributing to pain, limiting your performance, or increasing your risk of injury.
Benefits of Gait Analysis
1. Injury Prevention
Subtle abnormalities in your gait—like overpronation, hip drop, or leg length discrepancies—can lead to repetitive stress injuries over time. Gait analysis helps us identify these issues before they become painful problems.
Common conditions linked to poor gait mechanics:
Plantar fasciitis
IT band syndrome
Runner’s knee
Achilles tendinitis
Low back or hip pain
2. Personalized Treatment Plans
By understanding your unique movement patterns, Reece can design a targeted treatment plan that may include:
Physical therapy or neuromuscular re-education
Strength and mobility exercises
Regenerative therapies (like prolotherapy or PRP)
3. Post-Injury Rehabilitation
If you're recovering from an injury, your body often develops compensations that throw off your natural gait. Gait analysis helps us retrain proper movement, prevent reinjury, and restore balance.
4. Enhanced Athletic Performance
For athletes and active individuals, optimizing your gait can lead to:
Improved running economy
Greater power and efficiency
Reduced fatigue and recovery time
From sprinters and soccer players to marathoners and CrossFit athletes, gait analysis is a performance upgrade.
What to Expect During a Gait Analysis
At The Regenerative Institute, your gait assessment includes:
Initial Consultation – We discuss your symptoms, activity level, and goals.
Movement Screening – You’ll walk and/or run on a treadmill while we record your movement from multiple angles.
Biomechanical Evaluation – Reece analyzes joint alignment, muscle function, and compensatory mechanics.
Recommendations & Follow-Up – We provide a personalized plan to correct imbalances and improve your movement.
The process is non-invasive, informative, and often eye-opening.
Who Can Benefit?
Gait analysis isn’t just for elite athletes. It can benefit:
Runners and walkers
People with chronic joint or back pain
Individuals recovering from injury or surgery
Anyone with balance or coordination issues
Children or teens with developmental or orthopedic concerns
Move Smarter, Heal Stronger
At The Regenerative Institute, we see gait analysis as more than just diagnostics—it’s a proactive tool for whole-body wellness.
By addressing how you move, we can help you reduce pain, prevent injuries, and perform at your best—naturally.
Ready to Walk (and Run) Better?
If you’re curious about how your gait may be affecting your pain or performance, schedule a gait analysis with Reece Van Lierop today.
