Footscan Gait Analysis

What Is Footscan Gait Analysis?

Footscan gait analysis uses pressure-plate technology to record and analyse the forces passing through your feet as you walk or run. The scan produces a detailed map of how your feet are loading and how forces are distributed across the foot during movement.

This information allows our clinicians to identify biomechanical problems in the foot, ankle, knee, hip or lower back that may be contributing to pain, injury or movement dysfunction. Based on the results, bespoke orthotics (custom insoles) can be prescribed to correct abnormal loading and support healthier movement patterns.

What Can Footscan Reveal?

• Overpronation (flat feet) or supination (high arches)
• Uneven loading between left and right feet
• Abnormal pressure distribution that may be contributing to heel, foot or knee pain
• Gait asymmetries that affect the hip, knee or lower back
• Factors contributing to repetitive sports injuries

Who Can Benefit?

• Plantar fasciitis and heel pain sufferers
• People with knee pain and patellofemoral problems
• Runners and athletes with recurring leg, ankle or foot injuries
• People with bunions, forefoot pain or Morton's neuroma
• Those with lower back pain related to lower limb biomechanics
• Anyone wanting to understand their gait and foot mechanics

Bespoke Orthotics

Following your footscan assessment, our clinicians can prescribe custom orthotics designed specifically for your foot shape and gait pattern. Unlike off-the-shelf insoles, bespoke orthotics are made to address your specific biomechanical needs, providing targeted support to correct abnormal loading and reduce stress on painful structures.

We also stock a range of off-the-shelf orthotics, ice packs and orthopaedic supports at our Chigwell clinic for patients who need immediate or temporary support while bespoke orthotics are being made.

How It Works

The footscan itself takes only a few minutes. You walk across a pressure-sensitive plate while the scanner records the forces under your feet in real time. The data is then displayed as a visual pressure map and analysed by your clinician in the context of your symptoms and clinical examination findings.

Your clinician will explain the findings to you clearly and recommend whether orthotics, footwear changes, rehabilitation exercises, or a combination of approaches is most appropriate.

Gait Analysis as Part of a Wider Assessment

Footscan gait analysis is most effective when integrated with a full musculoskeletal assessment. At Spine Plus, we assess the whole kinetic chain, not just the feet, to identify all the factors contributing to your pain or injury. Gait analysis can be combined with other treatments such as shockwave therapy, TECAR, manual therapy and rehabilitation programmes.