Running: Not as easy as you think

I'm running on a treadmill, in bare feet. Sticky tape is holding my rolled-up shorts high against my thighs and my spine and legs are covered in black pen marks and fluorescent yellow stickers. Yet I'm not worried about my strangely tattooed semi-nakedness, in spite of the fact that two people and several video cameras are monitoring my every movement. My only concern is a small blue mark on the wall. I know that if I focus on that, I will maintain a steady posture. Then all the flab-wobbling humiliation will be worthwhile.

Twenty minutes later, I climb off the treadmill, throw on a shirt and sit in front of a computer beside Elle and Mitchell Phillips. As biomechanics performance analysts for Stride UK, they run specially tailored "video gait analysis" for experienced runners and serious athletes. But today, they have me – a semi-retired Sunday footballer.

"Most people think they know how to run, but very few have been taught how," says Mitchell, 37. "People think they can just get a pair of trainers and jump into it. In reality, it's a lot like boxing: the only way you can cope with the punishment is to build up the groundwork and build up your resilience."

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To anyone who runs, posture is all-important. Not only will good posture and core strength improve your performance and endurance, it will help you to avoid the common injuries such as knee and ankle strains. Stride UK, along with other gait analysis clinics, can now offer this hi-tech service to runners at all levels.

My initial readings, I'm pleased to see, are good. Like most people, I have never been too concerned with the way my feet hit the ground when I run, but I'm chuffed to learn that I am, in fact, a "mid-foot striker", which means that I efficiently transfer the movement through my whole body via a bent knee, and hence limit the impact it has. One common fault with runners is landing on their heels (heel-striking), in effect putting a brake on forward movement and placing their system under maximum strain.

Better still, thanks to Stride's 360-degree video footage, I can see all this happening on the computer screen by keeping an eye on the yellow dots Mitchell stuck to 26 points in my muscular and skeletal systems. These, plus hand-drawn lines covering my spine, knees and calves, highlight my body movements with total clarity. "We are able to put people in a situation where we can observe them running and slow down the footage to one frame a second to track the whole process and diagnose any problems," says Elle, 28.

And, in spite of my good start, things are destined to go downhill. While my running style is described as "neutral" and "effective", Elle discovers a problem. And it's not pretty. "Your left knee tracks slightly in a valgus position," she says. "This means that it moves outwards to the left slightly as you run. It's generally caused by tight glutes."

For want of a better phrase, this means I have tight bottom muscles – more specifically, a tight left bottom muscle. But not in the sexy American "tight buns" way; instead, it causes me to fall to the left as I run. Blindfold me and I'd go round in circles.

Yet the real surprise is yet to come. After analysing pictures of my spine, Elle asks if I sit with my back twisted during the day. I realise I'm sat leaning on my right arm with my legs crossed and my spine, well, twisted. It's the way I always sit. Elle is able to show that this has affected the way my whole body moves during exercise. More impressively, she goes on to reveal that it's the root cause of my lower back pain.

"A lot of podiatrists use video analysis to look from the knees downwards," says Elle. "But we look at the entire body from your heels to the back of the skull. We then find the cause of the problem and tell clients how to change it."

It's not always that simple. According to Mitchell, about 80 per cent of people in the UK are flat-footed. Over time, this leads to complaints such as collapsed arches and bunions because of the way the foot moves while running. Women are more susceptible to running injuries as they have more joint laxity and tend to pronate – this is where the weight is placed on the outside of the foot.

There's very little you can do to change this, and Elle and Mitchell say you shouldn't even try. In fact, their approach is based on not changing anything about the way you run, stand, walk or sit. Instead, they believe you should stimulate postural change by strengthening the muscles that cause the problems. The key is to find which these areas are, and to generate as much flexibility within them as possible.

"If you say, 'I'll just turn my feet in a little bit,' you will start to pick up injuries elsewhere," Elle says. "So it is hugely important that you don't just change it. Adopt a stretching and strengthening programme and it will change naturally and harmlessly."

So what can you do to improve posture without causing problems? Nick Anderson, coach of the British cross-country team and co-founder of Full Potential, a running group, recommends a few core thoughts to maximise your running performance. "First, try to keep your chest out and shoulders back. Next, keep your elbows in. This prevents lateral movement, which impedes forward momentum. Also, looking at a spot 30 to 40 metres in front of you helps to preserve posture, and you should try to maintain a very slight forward lean. The final couple of points require a bit more creative thinking: stand tall, imagining your head is being held up by a cord; and imagine you're running on a cloud – that should encourage you to keep light on your feet."

Contrary to what many believe, Anderson tells me you should not stretch before heading out for a canter. "The best way to warm up is to start walking and gradually build up to your intended running pace. The stretching should come after you exercise, when the muscles are still warm – preferably accompanied by an ice-bath." Or maybe just leave it at the stretching.

The only type of stretching that can be beneficial before exercise is known as "dynamic" stretching. This involves the sort of arm swings and torso twists you might have seen before one of the track events at the Olympics – and it is probably not necessary until you are getting serious about your running.

With Elle's advice not to try to compensate for posture problems ringing in my ears, I close the door on Stride UK and set out along Hove's seaside streets doing exactly the opposite. Only when I reach my car do I remember that it's the worst possible thing to do, and I resolve to not be so stupid in future.

Next morning, I stretch out on the floor with Elle's tailored exercise programme in hand and get to work. I'm instantly racked with pain, yet I know that with a bit of perseverance things will get easier, my back pain will ease, and I'll be able to run in a straight line. Who knows, I may even loosen up those buttocks yet.

For information on Stride UK, go to www.strideuk.com or call 01273 711 399

Methods to improve your posture

Alexander Technique

First developed to improve breathing and reduce stage fright, this technique can boost stamina for athletes and alleviate the pain that results from poor posture. (Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique; www.stat.org.uk )

Pilates

This celeb-friendly method focuses on the body's core: the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. A key benefit is the development of body awareness, resulting in standing straighter and better flexibility. (www.pilatesfoundation.com )

Kneeling Chair

These devices benefit those who tend to slouch in work-chairs. The thighs point towards the floor, with much of the body's weight supported by the shins, alleviating pressure on the spine and improving posture. (www.backinaction.co.uk )

Exercises to develop your core strength

The Plank

This strengthens your back, abdominal muscles and shoulders. Position yourself as if to do a press-up, but rest on your elbows rather than your hands (elbows under your shoulders). Keep everything still, not letting your chest drop towards the floor, and hold the position for at least 30 seconds.

Quadruped Hip-Extension

Not nearly as complicated as it sounds, this exercise strengthens those troublesome glutes while working the hamstrings – and it will improve your overall running performance. Adopt the four-point kneeling position, and then extend the right hip and knee and hold for a count of five before alternating sides. Avoid any movement through the lower back. Try it with a bent knee as well – this further isolates the glutes.

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