RunWell 3D Performance Assessment
Running is great exercise, but can put great stress on the muscles and joints. Despite the strain put on your body, most running injuries can be traced back to poor technique.
Medcan’s RunWell 3D Performance Assessment is a state-of-the-art full body analysis of how well you run, providing you the opportunity to analyze your running style for efficiency and to identify deficits which aids in the treatment and prevention of injuries. The Assessment is suitable for people of all abilities, from recreational runners to elite competitive athletes.
Cost: $495
The Assessment Consists of:
Pre-appointment Questionnaire
Identifies your running history, training patterns and any musculoskeletal injury history.
3D video Gait Analysis
Analyzes your biomechanical gait using three high-speed infrared cameras to track the motion of 20 reflective markers and converts them into a visual representation of your stride, and checks the characteristics of your stride against a vast database of previous measurements to find any abnormalities. A score is then assigned to the pelvis, hip, ankles and knees to determine overall injury risk.
Focused History and Physical Exam
A symptomatic injury evaluation is done, along with a thorough evaluation of your core (torso/hip) strength endurance to determine your personal strengths and weaknesses. An evaluation of some basic movement patterns is also done to gain insight into your functional flexibility, strength, and balance.
Comprehensive Report - (sample)
Prepared by Dr. Andrew Miners, the report will outline your results and provide recommendations regarding injury management, strength, flexibility, footwear, gait changes and running drills.
Four main factors are taken into consideration: biomechanics, strength, alignment and flexibility. We compare your individual measurements in each of these areas to our normative database in order to identify any unusual patterns in your running style.
Impressions of Medcan's RunWell Technology
Run3D has given me the opportunity to address my injury problems and that’s really exciting for me. It’s perfect timing as we’re just about to go into Olympic year and I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I want to be able to train harder than ever before and really push the boundaries but I also want to know that I can do it safely without putting myself at risk of further injury. Now I’ve got the results of my assessment and I can see the areas of concern, I’ll know exactly what I need to do if a niggle develops.
-Jo Pavey, three-time Olympian.
Even if you aren't currently experiencing any pain, gait analysis can identify any abnormalities before an injury occurs. Addressing these will keep you off the physio's couch and continuing to train.
Heavy runners run a lot. And though they might think their technique is flawless, subtle idiosyncrasies in their running style might gradually cause injury over time. By zeroing in on a runner's technique, and comparing the collected data with a database of uninjured runners, (the technology) can help you improve your form and prevent injury.