Running Assessments: What Is Your Physio Looking For?

A running assessment is often misunderstood. Some people think it is just someone watching how they run and commenting on their foot strike. In reality, a useful running assessment should be broader than that.



At our Marrickville clinic, running assessments are usually done to help understand why someone is getting sore, why a problem keeps recurring, or how to return to running more effectively after injury. For runners across the Inner West, the most useful question is usually not, 'What is the perfect running technique?' It is, 'What is it about my running, loading or capacity that may be contributing to this issue?'

It is not just about how you look on the treadmill

Video analysis can be useful, but it is only one part of the picture. A running assessment often also includes:

• training history
• recent volume and intensity changes
• symptom behaviour
• strength and control assessment
• previous injuries
• footwear and surface considerations

In many cases, the issue is not purely technique. It is a mismatch between load and capacity.

What your physio may be looking at

Cadence

Cadence can influence loading patterns, particularly in runners who are overstriding or spending too much time in a heavier braking pattern.

Stride characteristics

This includes where the foot lands relative to the body, how the runner manages impact, and whether any movement patterns appear to be increasing stress on a specific structure.

Pelvis and trunk control

Control through the trunk and pelvis can influence how load is distributed through the hip, knee and lower leg.

Lower limb loading

Depending on the injury, the physio may be watching for patterns that appear to increase stress at the calf, Achilles, patellofemoral joint, tibia, hamstring or hip.

What a running assessment should not do

It should not assume there is one perfect running style for everyone. It should also not make unnecessary changes just because something looks different.

Good running assessment is about relevance. If a movement pattern is not linked to symptoms, performance goals or injury risk in a meaningful way, it may not need changing.

Why strength still matters

Even if something useful is picked up in running form, the answer is often not just cueing. Capacity still matters. If the calf, hamstring, quads, glutes or trunk are not tolerating load well, changing form without improving strength usually has limited value.

Who may benefit from a running assessment?

It can be useful for:

• runners with recurring injuries
• people returning to running after injury
• those increasing training load
• runners preparing for an event who want a clearer plan

The key point

A good running assessment is not about chasing perfect form. It is about understanding your symptoms, your load and your capacity, then working out whether anything in your running pattern is meaningfully contributing to the problem.

If you are a runner in Marrickville, Enmore, Stanmore, Newtown or elsewhere in the Inner West and want a clearer idea of what is driving your symptoms, a proper running assessment can be useful.

Links: Exercise Prescription | Bone Stress | Hamstring Injuries | ACL Rehab