“You’re pronouncing a bit too much, let’s try you in a stable shoe.”
If you’ve bought running shoes, you know the routine. you walk on a treadmill and someone takes a picture of your feet, and then comes the diagnosis.
I spoke with Jonathan Hedges of RunRight 3D to debunk the myths of gait analysis and how to best use data and science to find your next pair of running shoes.
While it sounds scientific and highly personalized, in-store gait analysis can be subjective, as its origins date back to the 1980s, when manufacturers began producing stable and supportive shoes. Tools like 2D cameras and pressure mats are outdated and often misleading.
Professor Benno Nigg argues that the pronation control paradigm should be abandoned (due to lack of solid evidence). This may make sense as we are seeing similar injury rates as 30 years ago.
Welcome to the myth-busting edition of Gait Analysis. We’ll unpack traditional gait analysis and discover why advanced, 3D systems are game-changers, giving you faster, smarter and much more accurate insights into your running.
Myth 1: Back video is enough
That grainy clip where your heels roll in or out? It tells only a small part of the story.
Traditional 2D gait analysis, such as filming your run from behind and slowing it down to explain how your foot bends, is wildly flawed. Your feet do not exist separately. Nor does your run shape up.
Former professional runner and biomechanic Dr. Emily Carter puts it bluntly. “The back foot is heavily blamed for everything from injuries to performance issues, but it’s only one part of a very complex puzzle.”
Your hips, your knees, your core, and your cadence all affect how your body interacts with your shoes. A single camera angle just can’t capture all that detail
Myth 2: Foot pressure plates can help you choose your perfect shoe
Let’s talk about those fancy pressure plates you sometimes see in hardware stores. You walk or run over them and suddenly you’re looking at a “heat map” of your feet, red hotspots, blue zones and all. It appearance super high tech and it’s exciting.
But here’s the thing. while they’re great for figuring out where you put the most pressure (which can be helpful for insoles or custom orthotics), they fall short when it comes to choosing the right running shoe.
Think of it this way. “Choosing a running shoe from a pressure map is like choosing a sports car based on the tire markings. You see the result, not how they’re made.”
Pressure plates can’t tell you how much braking or pushing forces you generate, or what your knees and hips are doing with each step. They also cannot calculate how balanced your CoM is during your run. If you’re choosing a shoe to run farther, faster, or without pain, you need to understand what other parts of your body are doing, not just the pressure underfoot. Shoes should support your entire range of motion, not just the part that hits the ground.”
Myth 3: One short run is not enough
You are asked to jump on a treadmill, run for 20 seconds, then choose between a stable or neutral shoe. Fast, yes, but flawed.
Your gait changes with speed, fatigue, and even the shoe itself. You move differently in a warm-up versus a 5km race, and the first kilometer is nothing like the 18th kilometer of a marathon.
Shoe testing should reflect actual running conditions, not a short run. To really find the right shoe, warm up in it, then run at your target pace for at least three minutes so that your gait adapts to the shoe you’re testing. then to analyze
Myth 4: Why 3D foot scanners aren’t good enough for runners?
Those sleek 3D foot scanners in running stores are fun; they map your arches, measure your width, and note your foot type. But here is the problem. they only grab your leg standing still.
The run is “dynamic”. Your arches compress, toes pop, knees absorb shock, and hips rotate. None of these show up on a static scan.
So while 3D scans are useful for insoles or general fit, they can’t pick the right running shoe. Because the shoes have to work with you moving leg, not just your rest.
Real motion requires real-time analysis. Only then can your shoes truly match your step.
Myth 5: Convenience filter
Is comfort really the best way to choose your running shoes?
If you’ve been around physiologists or biomechanics, you’ve probably heard of the Comfort Filter. The idea presented by Professor Benno Nigg in 2015 is simple. the shoes that feel better are the shoes your body subconsciously chooses to reduce stress and therefore injury.
And science backs it up. Research shows that comfortable shoes improve performance, reduce perceived exertion, and even lower injury rates when runners choose by foot type rather than foot type.
But here’s the catch. comfort is personal and sometimes misleading. A super soft shoe may feel great at first, but over time it will quietly put a strain on your Achilles or knees. Newer runners may not yet have the sensory “tuning” to feel those subtle loads.
Some brands have cottoned on to it, and “necessary comfort” is a real thing.
So while comfort is one of the best starting points, it’s not the whole story. Your shoe should feel good and: support your biomechanics over the miles.
Bottom line: Comfort is important, but comfort in context is what keeps you injury-free.
Myth 6: AI Pose systems can fully analyze your running form
We’ve entered the age of AI, so it’s no surprise that brick-and-mortar stores are now using AI-powered location detection. You pass a few cameras, take a short run, and suddenly you’re surrounded by digital lines, corners, and boxes. It’s smooth, efficient, and feels like something is coming out the matrix.
But here is the topic. most of these systems are still stuck in 2D.
Yes, AI position tools can measure joint angles, catch asymmetries, and count your reps. But they’re still limited by what one camera, or at best two, can capture. That means they don’t see the full complexity of your movement, especially when you’re running at real speeds, loads, and in three-dimensional space.
Running is a 3D sport. Your pelvis rotates. Your trunk tilts. Are your knees moving? Your foot lands, rolls and reacts. Everything happens in motion, not just front to back or side to side. The static view of the camera, even if the artificial intelligence is turned on, simply cannot perceive the full symphony of the movement taking place, especially when the angles change on the planes.
To make things more complicated, AI systems often struggle with fast walking, poor lighting, or non-standard body shapes. It’s a great technique, don’t get me wrong. It’s perfect for strength training analysis or quick postural checks. But for running shoes. It doesn’t dig deep enough.
Choosing the right shoe is about understanding how your whole body moves, not just how your joints look from one angle. To truly match a shoe to your stride, you need nuanced, 3D motion data collected at speed, in context.
Because as runners, we’re not just dots and lines on a screen. We are kinetic stories in motion. And the tools that help us need to be smart enough to see the whole story, not just the flat version.
So what’s the best way to find the right running shoe?
A 3D analysis system that offers detailed insights into your performance in a specific running shoe is unmatched for its value. Platforms expressly designed for shoe evaluation, such as MotionMetrix and RUNRIGHT-3D, analyze your data and highlight important metrics related to performance, efficiency and injury prevention.
Every shoe you try is displayed side-by-side in the software, allowing direct model comparison and facilitating truly data-driven decisions, rather than relying on subjective impressions or generic algorithms. The difference is unmistakable: find out which midsole is best for you, which sole shape promotes optimal foot roll, and which shoe allows for more effective braking, which is much higher than say:
While these systems are revolutionary, it’s still important to start with an overview of your current running routine, injury history, shoe choices, and plans. Next, study your foot shape, arch height, and length to gather enough information to fit up to three or four pairs of shoes, then exclude the shoes your client finds uncomfortable (Comfort Filter). Then perform a 3D analysis at the speed of your choice, review the data, and choose the option that best suits your needs. Nothing compares to the comprehensive insights provided by 3D analysis.
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