Steady State Health · Portland, Maine

Running Gait Analysis in Portland, Maine

Optimize Your Form, Stay Injury-Free

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A Portland Maine running physical therapist performing a gait analysis on a treadmill.

Is Your Running Form Holding You Back?

Ever feel like you’re working harder than you should be? Or dealing with the same nagging injuries no matter how much you stretch or strengthen? Your running form might be playing a bigger role than you think.

At Steady State Health in Portland, we work with runners throughout Southern Maine to help them run smarter, stay injury-free, and feel stronger with every stride.

A Steady State physical therapist filming a runner's stride on the treadmill for a gait analysis.

Who Benefits from a Running Gait Analysis?

  • You’re stuck in an injury cycle - Achilles pain, IT band issues, knee trouble that won’t quit.
  • You feel inefficient - Like you’re putting in too much effort for your pace.
  • You’re postpartum - Easing back into running and want to do it safely.
  • You want an edge - Looking for small tweaks to maximize endurance and speed.
  • You’re just starting out - Want to build good habits and run pain-free from day one.

What a Gait Analysis Looks Like (No, It’s Not Just a Treadmill Video)

If you’ve ever had a shoe store watch you jog for 30 seconds, this is not that. Our running specialists take a deep dive into how your body moves and what small, practical adjustments can help you run stronger. Here’s what we look at:

  • Video Analysis

    • Slow-motion breakdown of your mechanics from multiple angles.

  • Strength & Mobility Check

    • We assess key muscles that influence your stride.

  • Loading Mechanics

    • How your body absorbs impact and pushes off with each step.

  • Symmetry

  • Practical Adjustments

    • Simple tweaks that fit your natural running style (no extreme overhauls).

  • Game Plan

    • Strength, mobility, and training adjustments designed for you.

Real Runners, Real Fixes: Success Stories from Maine Runners

Take Sarah, a runner from Cape Elizabeth. She came to us after struggling with knee pain while training for the Beach to Beacon 10K. Turns out, she was overstriding just enough to overload her quads - something she never noticed until we broke down her form. A couple of tweaks, plus some targeted strength work, and she was back to pain-free long runs.

A Steady State physical therapist assessing a runner's knee on the Eastern Prom at sunset.

Common Running Form Mistakes We See Around Portland

We don’t believe in rigid “perfect form” ideals - but some patterns can contribute to inefficiency and injuries. Here are a few common issues:

  • Overstriding

    • Your foot lands too far in front of your body, increasing impact forces.

  • Low cadence

    • Taking too few steps per minute, often linked to overstriding.

  • Hip drop

    • Your pelvis isn’t staying stable, leading to extra stress on your knees and hips.

  • Lack of push-off power

    • Weak propulsion, making your stride feel sluggish.

  • Asymmetry

    • A lack of mobility or strength throughout your spine, hips, ankles, or toes that contribute to feeling “twisted” while you run.

Instead of forcing unnatural changes, we adjust what truly matters - helping you move efficiently without overthinking every step.

How a Gait Analysis Helps You Run Stronger & Stay Injury-Free

A running gait analysis isn’t just about seeing how you move - it’s about making meaningful changes that translate into better training and fewer injuries. With our data-driven approach, you’ll walk away with:

  • Clarity on how your mechanics impact performance & injury risk.
  • Subtle, effective changes that fit your natural running style.
  • A training roadmap with strength and mobility work to reinforce improvements.
A runner wearing a black Runeasi gait analysis belt.

Let’s Take a Look at Your Stride

Curious about your form? Let’s break it down - no gimmicks, no overcorrections, just real, practical advice tailored to your running.

Ready to Optimize Your Running Gait?

Serving Runners in Portland, Scarborough, and Across Southern Maine. Whether you’re doing speed work at Fitzpatrick Stadium, cruising along Rt 88 in Falmouth, or building mileage on the Eastern Trail, your running form matters.

Schedule a discovery call

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In their words

What runners say

Dr. Brown has been so patient and informative to me, being my first time ever seeing a physical therapist and self taught runner. I am so glad I decided to come to Steady State. After 3 weeks I have learned so much more about my body and how to keep it healthy and injury free. I’m stronger and more resilient than ever. 10/10

Steve P

"Steady State has given me so much confidence and helped me turn a corner in how I see myself as an athlete. When I first talked to them I was struggling with back spasms and pre race nerves. They want to help first and foremost. They understand running and they are the first physios I talked to that did not roll their eyes when I explained the intensity of my run training. Instead, I was given programs that are true to my ideas of myself as an athlete.

They stay true to their philosophy around provider dependency and because of this I learned how to take care of myself while lifting heavy and running high mileage. Even with all this great help, the best part of working with Steady State is having someone with so many of the same experiences and passions. Any athlete will surely notice this when working with them."

Sam Mills, Maine runner

"I have had such a positive experience working with the team at Steady State. I am an experienced long-distance runner and I have been so impressed with Steady State's custom plans, their knowledge about endurance athletes and long-distance runners, specifically. Working with them 1:1 has been incredibly helpful for me as I rehabbed my hamstrings, and other little injuries that have cropped up over the years. I'm a much stronger athlete now, and I am able to run 100% pain free. I have HIGHLY recommended Steady State to my running friends who are struggling with injury, and they've had similarly positive experiences.

If you are a runner or a serious endurance athlete, "typical" PT services don't work--they'll give you some silly exercises and tell you to stop doing what you're doing. Steady State will LISTEN to your experience of pain, work to understand your goals, and collaborate on a plan to rehab while maintaining fitness. Plus, they are just about the nicest health care professionals I have ever worked with. I could not recommend them more highly!"

Next step

Take the First Step by Contacting Us Today

A short call to hear what’s going on, answer your questions, and work out whether we’re the right fit.

A close look at a runner's foot strike being filmed on the treadmill during a gait analysis.
Rather send a message than pick a time?

You can also contact us here.

From the blog

Our posts about running form

Mar 13, 2024, 11:52:54 AM

Introducing the Runeasi Gait Analysis System: More Information for Injured and Injury-Free Runners

Dr. Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT
Nov 20, 2024, 3:39:26 PM

Do You Need a Running Gait Analysis?

Dr. Mike Brown, PT, DPT
Feb 25, 2025, 2:51:01 PM

Cadence & Running Form: A Potential Way to Reduce Injury Risk

Dr. Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT

Free guide

The Injured Runner’s Roadmap

The framework we use with runners to figure out what is actually causing their pain, and what to immediately do about it. 100% free - we just want to help.

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