Wendi Morin Gait Analysis
Please note that Wendi is available by appointment only and booking sometimes fills up. New appointments are made available periodically. Refer to our free gait analysis or Contact Us with any questions.
While we at Gear West will make sure that any shoe you buy from us is the perfect style for you with a perfect fit, some of our customers want a little more help. For those with challenging injuries, constant aches and pains, muscle tightness, and those who think they could improve their performance with some biomechanical work, we offer a specialized, Gear West Gait Analysis service. Our resident "shoe whisperer", Wendi Morin, performs these analyses, which cost $75.00 and take approximately 30 minutes. Cancellations made within 24 hours of appointment time will not be refunded.
Wendi Morin
This analysis includes the following evaluations and recommendations:
- -Arch and foot evaluation
- -Ankle, knee, hip, and back alignment evaluation
- -Muscle weakness and imbalance check
- -Pelvic rotation check
- -Leg length discrepancy
- -Arch support evaluation
- -Suggested strengthening exercises
- -Shoe model recommendation
- -Double Bachelor's degree in Health and Human Services
- -Associate's degree in Physical Therapy
- -20+ years of experience in Gait Analysis
- -Certified Personal Trainer
- -Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Consultant
- -Active consultant for several local physical therapists, chiropractors, podiatrists, hospitals, athletic teams, and trainers.
Wendi's Training and Educational Resume:
*Please note that Wendi is not a practicing physical therapist and does not provide diagnosis.
Ike Gait Analysis
Ike is working on his degree in kinesiology at the university of Minnesota. He has worked in the UMN Human Sports and Performance Lab helping conduct a study on heel drop and running economy. A long time client of Wendi, seeing her for his shoes since the fall of 2016. Wendi asked if he’d be interested in coming on as an intern, he’s been learning under her since the spring of 2022. In highschool he was a 3 sport athlete, football, track and rugby. He continues to play rugby at the collegiate level at the University of Minnesota.
Ike will be taking gait analyses for $30, plus tax. Please call 952-473-0377 to make an appointment
Free Gait Analysis
The primary focus of our free gait analysis is to optimize the pronation of your feet, but it is worth noting that we have found this process to be more complicated than the general rule of increasing stability with increased levels of overpronation. First, runners should understand that some pronation is normal and desirable. Ideally, there should be a slight inward roll at the end of the gait cycle. This can be seen in a well used pair of shoes as a wear concentration around the ball of the foot.
Overpronation is an excessive roll toward the inside of the foot. Overpronation does not allow the shock of the foot strike to spread evenly over the entire foot and can result in injuries and pain to ankles, knees and hips. Overpronation is usually addressed by selecting "stability" style shoes, but interestingly can also be caused by running in shoe with an excessively curved last. We have found that a significant number of runners who come into Gear West with stability shoes do not actually need stability, but they DO need a straight lasted shoe.
Supination, conversely, is an insufficient inward roll of the foot after landing. This places extra stress on the foot and can result in injuries and pain to the knee, as well as Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis.
For best results, please bring your current run or walk shoes and wear or bring a pair of shorts that you can run in.
