• running
• biomechanics
• gait analysis
• injury prevention
• sports physiotherapy

Physiotherapy has long followed a standard script. The patient is seen in-person at a clinic, a subjective history is taken and the physiotherapist completes a physical examination consisting of strength, range of motion, functional testing, etc to determine the cause of injury and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan. For running injuries, this assessment often includes an analysis—either on a treadmill or overground—of the patient’s running gait. When facilities and equipment are available, this may include three-dimensional (3D) motion capture and force plate analysis, which provides more detailed information about the biomechanics contributing to the presenting injury. Since most clinicians do not have access to this equipment, many use two-dimensional (2D) video analysis in the clinic.

Recent circumstances have pushed many of us to explore remote options using online platforms, such as telehealth. This has forced us to be more creative with how we assess and treat patients and presents an opportunity to evolve our practice. With most runners having access to a high-quality video camera on their phone or tablet, 2D motion capture can be performed remotely. Recent advances and access to wearable technology—inertial measurement units (IMUs), in particular—now allow remote measurement of forces and spatiotemporal data. Remote biomechanical running gait analysis is now a reality (figure 1).