Running Gait Retraining: A Sports Medicine Training Gap in Family Medicine

Emerging evidence suggests that running gait retraining plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of running-related injury, yet it remains unclear how gait retraining is being utilized by family physicians with their patients. By surveying family physicians and residents, this study is the first to investigate the frequency of gait retraining discussions with patients with running-related injuries, barriers to these discussions, and physician confidence and perceived value in engaging in these discussions, so as to better inform family physician training on this subject.

This study investigated family physician attitudes toward gait retraining though a cross-sectional survey administered to 532 military family physicians and residents at the 2019 Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians Annual Meeting. Main outcome measures included frequency of, confidence in, and value of discussions of running gait retraining with patients with running-related injuries. Obstacles to discussing gait retraining, knowledge on the topic, and previous training on the topic were also assessed.

With a 72.2% response rate, the majority of respondents (82%) felt discussions on the topic are at least somewhat valuable. However, 63% of respondents infrequently discuss the topic with patients, while 71% lack confidence in engaging in these discussions. The most frequently reported obstacles were lack of knowledge (55%) and time (24%).

Family physicians find value in discussions of running gait retraining with their patients, but discussion frequency and physician confidence are low. Educational interventions increasing physician knowledge and the development of non-time-intensive approaches would be best suited for improving confidence and discussion frequency for this valued skill.