Sportsister went to Asics’ shop in central London to test out their 3-D foot scan and gait analysis service. Plus win a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 15 trainers.
Sportsister recommends that all runners are fitted for their running shoes at a professional running shop with trained staff. Running shoes are not one size fits all. Our posture, any pre-existing injuries, the distances we are running and the shape and size of our feet will all affect the type of running shoe you are best suited to.
Anyone can go along to the store and be analysed,. There’s a £30 charge for the 3D foot scan but no charge for the gait analysis and the £30 is redeemable against any purchase. I would recommend doing both as this gives the clearest picture of what your feet need.
Using laser beams and micro cameras your foot is mapped in great detail including length, ball girth, heel breadth, instep height, arch height, heel angle and toe angle. All you have to do is stand on two pads on the scanner, the Asics staff enters some basic details about you and then you receive a print out with all your unique measurements on it. These are then compared against a huge database of other measurements to compare yours with the average for your age and gender.
From this the trained staff are able to make a recommendation on what shoe is going to suit you best. For some one like me, whose left foot was fairly neutral but right foot tended to pronate (roll too far inwards upon impact) thanks to a low arch and instep, it was suggested I should try a shoe of medium support - the Women’s GT 2140. This would correct my pronation in my right foot without being detrimental to my left.
Then it was time to hit the treadmill. Video footage of your running style is taken both barefoot and then in the selected shoe. It’s startling what a difference it makes. Ideally you should be able to trace a straight line from the bottom of your heel up through your ankle to your shin. While my left foot was not far off, my right was far from vertical. But when I tried it in the GT 2140, both feet were almost in the neutral running position.
Since the testing I have been out in my new trainers several times and so far am really pleased with them. I had been suffering with blisters and that appears to be a thing of the past now. I’d definitely recommend runners to get their gait assessed before choosing a running shoe; it can be very damaging to be in the wrong shoe for your style and with the added information gleaned from the 3D scan Asics is a great place to do it.
Sportsister competition
We have a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 15 trainers to give away to one lucky reader. They are the latest in a long line of massively popular shoes from the Kayano series. They offers a high level of support with compromising cushioning, which thanks to a new gel system, creates a much smoother ride for the wearer.
Please note that this shoe is designed for runners who pronate slightly more than normal. It is recommended that you have your running gait analysed to ensure these are suitable for trainers for your use.
If you want to win a pair of these trainers then email us at [email protected], with your username, shoe size, postal address by June 1st 2009.
If you are not already a Sportsister member you can sign up on site here - it’s free, easy and only takes a minute.
If you are selected as a winner and your colour choice is unavailable an alternative will be sent.
Click here to read Sportsister’s competition terms and conditions
Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
