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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.
Wendi Morin is known as the "Shoe Whisperer". For decades, she has used her talents to help clients around the Twin Cities find the perfect fitting shoe by analyzing gait, posture, and body position. Her work brings harmony and comfort to the bodies of those she has helped. How do I know? I am one of the clients whose life and career was changed after being introduced to Wendi 8 years ago. Having undergone two back surgeries and regularly suffering from pain as a result of 40 years of dentistry practice, I didn't know where to turn to find relief. That is, until Wendi entered my life. By working with her and being fitted with shoes that perfectly suited my daily work routine, she extended my career, allowing me to practice comfortably, be active, and live fully until retirement without more surgery. She continues to use her talents to improve the lives of hundreds of people.Wendi's path has not been an easy one. She grew up in a physically and mentally abusive, degrading environment which left an indelible mark on her soul. For decades, she has suffered periods of deep depression, suicidal actions, and feeling of no self-worth. This has left her unable to work or barely function for months at a time. But recently, Wendi found a path towards self- acceptance and value through a special bond with horses Whiskey and Gracie. Whiskey , like Wendi was harshly mistreated and Gracie was the bottom horse of her herd. They recognize her pain, and together, the three of them are healing each other, slowly yet deeply.
By Wendy Bach
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 Gait Analysis service. Our resident "shoe whisperer", Wendi Morin, performs these analyses, which cost $50.00 and take approximately 30 minutes. Cancellations made within 24 hours of appointment time will not be refunded.
This analysis includes the following evaluations and recommendations: |
Wendi's Training and Educational Resume: |
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*Please note that Wendi is not a practicing physical therapist and does not provide diagnosis. |
If you wish to schedule an appointment with Wendi, please click the button at the top of the page which will take you to the booking site.
Free Gait Analysis
Our free gait analysis service will help find an excellent running shoe for you. During this free service, a trained member of our staff will watch you running or walking on our track. Using this baseline, we can see your running tendencies and the changes in pronation (both good and bad) that can be caused by different styles and models of shoe.
What our Free Gait Analysis Entails:
- One of our trained shoe fit specialists will begin by asking you questions about your activity levels and any issues you might be having.
- You will then run/walk on our track to see a baseline of what your normal gait is.
- Your shoe fit specialist will then suggest one or more shoes that could optimize your stride and footfall.
- You will run/walk again with each pair of suggested shoes.
- Finally, you and your fit specialist will compare each pair of shoes before deciding on the shoe that best fits your running goals, biomechanics, and budget.
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.
