The Pain Mapper Suite: Running Gait analysis

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IN

Have you ever had a pain in your knee, ankle or leg associated with running or walking and wanted to know where it was coming from and what might be causing it?

If you are a regular runner or even just have an occasional trot and experience pain and stiffness which prevents you from running or walking properly then this analysis is for you..... Knowledge is power.

Do you wish to know whether your running technique may be going to damage you. Identify and prevent future problems.

Running Gait Pain Mapper video analysis and Diary defines 52 specific areas of the most common lower limb pain patterns.

For a one off fee of £140 you will be able to specifically define your pain areas and get an expert assessment of your running style and you also get to keep an accurate diary (Subscription applies) of your individual symptom areas progress.

What is the Gait Pain Mapper Analysis process?


1. You create your account.

2. You fill in the Pain Mapper questionnaire and Diary.

3. You read the simple filming instructions.

4. You upload your movies/pictures.

5. You pay your one-off fee of £140 plus subscription fee for your diary facility.

6. Your video is then analysed and a report is created consisting of your video as reference plus screenshots with the lines of distortion of your gait are illustrated along with useful comments and observations about your running or walking patterns.

7. Your report (usually takes 2 to 3 days to produce) is placed online protected by your ID for you to log in and see and also to update your Gait Diary.


The runner below is an experienced marathon runner. He complained of pain especially in areas 10, 11 and 13 with lesser pain in areas 1, 5 and 7.
Note how the left leg stride is crossing the midline thus creating a line of force which is too extreme. This resulted in a constant 'pounding' passing up through the skeleton. This caused hypertonus (shin splints) in the muscles of area 11.
The shoulder alignment deviates down to the right whilst the left shoulder is fairly static. The left arm is held much more tensely than the right arm. This indicates that he is breathing high up into the left lung and not exhaling through that side efficiently. Thus the entire balance of his spine is affected. The lower ribcage 'swivels' as he runs.
The illustrations below led him to immediately become aware of this bad habit of crossing the midline. He has gone on to participate succesfully in many marathons since then.





It is vital in any running analysis that the entire body is observed, from head to toe. Too many so-called gait analysis systems are too localised and inaccurate sometimes performed by poorly trained technicians. The result can be an expensive outcome with a pair of shoes that somehow do not live up to expectations and sometimes result in aggravating the condition. We run with our whole body not just with our feet.

Types of running styles:

We theoretically run using our legs but some people use just a fraction of their power.

Leg logs
When runners move from their hip joints and keep a relatively straight leg, minimally bending at the knees.

Knee benders
Some of us hold the thighs together whilst moving mainly from the knees.

Knee knockers
A lot of runners run with 'knock knees' landing on dropped foot arches. Sometimes only one knee is 'knocking. This can be due to one leg being longer than the other.


Leg length differences:
Most of us have one leg longer than the other. From years of analysing postural X rays I noted that an average leg length difference of 1 centimetre is normal. If the difference is more than 2 centimetres the skeletal compensations cannot cope very well. The picture below shows the pelvic distortion at the sacro-iliac joints due to excessive leg length discrepancy.


Foot stompers: This habit affects the IT band (also named as the Iliotibial tract, Tensor fascia latae and TFL).
With every stride and step we take the TFL plays the important role of stabilising the leg as it passes through the midline of the stride. The harder we slam our foot down or throw our leg out to the side the more the TFL tenses up. This muscle will also be hypertoned if the spine is habitually leaning to one side. If we lean to the left then the right TFL will tense up and vice-versa. This little muscle is very prone to a deep hypertonic state. In this state it will pull on the IT band causing pain, misalignment and can even spread into the buttock muscles and contribute to Sciatic nerve irritation.

Uneven stride length:
We often will have one leg which has a longer stride. This is usually the dominant leg. One can observe this on video and by the sound or rhythm of our footfall being unequal. It is most optimal to have equal stride lengths.

Foot kickers:
This type of running can be due to the knock-kneed type. The feet flare out with every step.

Tea servers:

They have their heads poked forwards, shoulders immobile and tensed up, elbows bent into a position where it looks like they are serving a tray of tea.





One of the most common symptoms that runners suffer from is pain around the kneecap. The kneecap is often out of line with the leg. It can sit too far to the outside like a 'cocked hat'.


Hamstring hypertonus is very common especially affecting the Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus, Adductor magnus and sometimes Gracilis muscles. This will alter the gait by turning the leg inwards. This can occur from a dropped foot arch, leg length differences and poor running alignment and can cause hypertonic patterns. It also works in reverse,that is to say that once the hamstrings become hypertonic then the foot arch will drop.



Gait Pain Mapper and Diary provides a unique diary layout which displays the areas of pain, which muscles are affected and why, their severity over time and the results of what you have done to help yourself.

The simplified diary layout will tell you much more of what you need to know about your particular pain over time.



The creator of Gait Pain Mapper and Diary is Paul Manley, a clinician of 40 years experience in observing and treating 1000's of people from all over the world in his Central London Clinic.

"Forty years of clinical work has taught me how patients express their pain and what the most common pain patterns are. My app does not purport to cover all known leg problems, just the most common ones. Simple, visual and informative. Gait Pain Mapper and Diary is unique. I hope you find it useful. Plus I am not trying to sell shoes, insoles, orthotics or any other gadgets. Just practical observations which will increase your bodily awareness. It is essential to gait analysis that the whole body, arms, breathing and ribcage assymetries, spinal actions and stride lengths. The obvious problems of knock knees, over-pronation and heel strike are taken into account. Of course, if your shoes are fit for the garbage then feel free to get a new pair. Sales people will not usually be capable of looking at the whole body but with my years of experience I can spot problems quite easily."

Paul Manley, Clinician and App designer.



Your Gait Pain Mapper and Diary includes information specific to your pain areas.
It will tell you if you are performing particular physical actions which will cause and or aggravate your pain.
You will learn how to avoid aggravations and how to help your symptoms to get better.
It will also pinpoint pain syndromes which may need further investigation.

You can update your diary with details of your symptoms:
  1. Areas of pain
  2. Severity of pain
  3. Information about your pain areas
  4. Treatment success or failure
  5. Medication success or failure
  6. Running diary
  7. Self-help success or failure
  8. Activities success or failure

All of which can be assessed and advised upon using this unique and highly informative Gait Pain Mapping process.

Video analysis plus diary. Total = £158.99. This includes your one-off fee of £140 for running gait reporting plus recurring subscription fee of £8.99 per month.
You can cancel this at any time and still gain access to your report and diary but you cannot update your symptoms or diary if you cancel your subscription.

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Paul Manley Clinic
 Phone or text us on 07925 616 753