Running Biomechanical Assessment
Improve your run! Our Running Assessment analyses biomechanics, offering tailored interventions for efficiency, comfort, and injury prevention.
Running Biomechanical Assessment
Running & gait assessment in Tuggerah. Our podiatrists use force-platform analysis to assess your stride, helping improve efficiency & prevent injury.
A running and gait assessment is a structured analysis of how you move — your foot strike, lower-limb biomechanics and load patterns while walking and running — used to identify inefficiencies or risk factors that may affect comfort, performance or injury risk.
Whether you're a seasoned marathoner, a weekend jogger, or just lacing up for the first time, our assessment is designed to understand your individual movement and help you run more efficiently and comfortably.
What is a running and gait assessment?
Every runner moves differently. Small variations in your foot strike, stride mechanics, muscle strength and joint range of motion can influence how your body absorbs load with each step — and over thousands of steps, those patterns matter.
A gait assessment looks at the full picture: how your feet contact the ground, how force travels up through the lower limb, and how strength or flexibility may be contributing to symptoms or limiting performance.
Why might you need one?
People come to us for a running assessment for many reasons, including:
- Recurring or niggling running-related pain (shin, knee, heel, Achilles, forefoot)
- Recovery and return-to-running after a previous injury
- Improving running efficiency and technique
- Preparing for an event or increasing training load
- Footwear guidance
- Considering custom orthotics
- Simply wanting to run more comfortably
How does Blueprint Podiatry assess your gait?
Our podiatry team brings genuine running expertise to every assessment — all three of our registered podiatrists hold a Bachelor of Podiatry, training in Foot Mobilisation Therapy, and a Level 1 Running Coaching qualification. This means your stride is analysed by clinicians who understand both the biomechanics and the coaching side of running.
We go beyond visual observation alone. At our Tuggerah clinic we use:
- Force-platform gait analysis on a Zebris instrumented treadmill, measuring plantar pressure, ground-reaction force and centre-of-pressure while you actually walk and run — objective dynamic data, not just a guess.
- VALD dynamometer testing to objectively measure muscle strength and range of motion across the lower limb. This helps us set baselines, guide your rehabilitation and track your return to sport.
Together, these tools give us a clear, measurable understanding of how you move.
What might your treatment plan include?
Based on your assessment, we tailor recommendations to you. These may include:
- Corrective exercises and strength programming
- Running drills and technique adjustments
- Footwear advice suited to your foot type and goals
- Custom orthotic therapy — 3D scanned and 3D printed in-house, with patient-matched left/right devices and no external-lab delay
- Adjunct treatments available at our clinic where appropriate, such as shockwave therapy, dry needling and foot mobilisation therapy
Our goal is to help you manage symptoms, move more efficiently and keep doing what you love.
When should you seek help?
If you're experiencing persistent or recurring pain when running, returning from an injury, or your performance has plateaued, a professional assessment is a sensible step. Early advice can help you avoid more significant problems down the track.
Medically reviewed by Matt Shanahan, registered podiatrist (AHPRA POD0001603396), Blueprint Podiatry.
Last reviewed: 21 June 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be an experienced runner to have a gait assessment?
Not at all. We assess runners of every level — from first-timers to event athletes. The assessment is tailored to your individual goals, whether that's running pain-free, improving technique, or building up your training safely.
What should I bring to my running assessment?
Please bring the running shoes you currently use (and any others you're considering), along with comfortable activewear you can run in. If you've had any previous injuries, imaging or orthotics, bring those details too — they help us build a complete picture.
Will I need custom orthotics?
Not necessarily. Orthotics are only one of several options and aren't right for everyone. If they are recommended, ours are 3D scanned and 3D printed in-house with patient-matched left and right devices — but your plan may instead focus on strength work, technique, footwear or other strategies based on what your assessment shows.
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