A quick gait evaluation at a shoe store or down at the beach on the wet sand at low tide can show you a lot about your running mechanics.

Look for: foot placement, a cross-over gait pattern and uneven loading.

An abnormal gait can be caused by your foot wear or from Sun Run training on irregular terrain and canted roads. Improvements in this case can be achieved through careful shoe selection, orthotics, lifts and attention to training. Careful shoe selection is often the leading factor between an injury and pain free running.

An abnormal gait can also be caused by anatomical structural alignment and muscle imbalances which can be fixed through stretching, strengthening and proprioceptive exercises. Here is one that is excellent for people who stand on their feet all day long.

Rock and Roll – The proprioceptive balancing exercise for your feet

1. Rock back and forth on the outer edges of your feet 6X.

2. Rock back and forth on the inner edges of your feet 6X.

3. Then Roll in and out across the balls of your feet 6X.

4. Rock back and forth from the toes to the heels 6X.

How it works: This exercise will get you back in touch with the entire surface of your foot and disperse your body weight over a larger surface rather than standing on the edges of your feet or shifting your weight from foot to foot.

Tilman von der Linde, RMT.

Muscles in Motion – Vancouver