Putney & Richmond Stores

Mon-Sat: 10am - 5.30pm | Sun: 11am - 5pm

Foot scanner

The Sporting Feet experience

At Sporting Feet we offer a free thorough five-step gait test for potential running shoe purchasers when you visit us at our Putney or Richmond stores.

These five tests only take a few minutes and help us build up a picture of your running style. We can then recommend which shoes and insoles would be the best combination to help you maximise comfort and minimise the chance of injury.

Gait analysis & foot scanning

Approximately 70% of people’s feet roll inwards excessively when they run – often called overpronation - so would benefit from supportive or structured running shoes. The other 30% either have a neutral gait or roll outwards – often called supination - so are best suited by neutral running shoes.

During our gait analysis and foot scanning service, we follow the steps below. For running shoes we perform all five tests. For other sports, including walking, we will just scan your feet to get a good fix on size width and arch type.

Book an appointment at Putney

Book an appointment at Richmond

What to expect at your appointment

1

Foot Scan

Your feet are the foundations of your body, so it is very important that your shoes are comfortable and the best possible fit. That’s why our first step is to use our state-of-the-art foot scanner to give an accurate measure of size, width and arch type. The scan shows whether you have a low, medium or high arch; the pressure distribution and which insoles would be best for you. 

2

Double Leg Squat

We look at where your knees align relative to your feet. If your knees drop inward you probably overpronate when you run. Knees aligning over the middle of your feet indicate a neutral running style and knees pointing outward indicate supination.

3

Single Leg Squats on Both Sides

Again your knees will drop inward if you overpronate and outward if you supinate.

4

Arch Test

We ask you to stand from a sitting position and look for any flattening of the arch, or whether your arch stays rigid. A flattening of the arch is a sign of overpronation.

5

Walking

We watch you walk up and down to confirm our diagnosis of overpronation, neutrality or supination.

Now you are ready to choose some shoes!

We can guide you according to what the tests have shown and your preferences in terms of budget, brand and colour. Generally you will wear a slightly bigger size in running shoes compared to your everyday shoes as your feet expand when you run.