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Children's "Movement Map" Project

Children, aged 8-16

Run3D Limited is a company that helps people move better, especially if they are runners or have trouble walking. Imagine if someone gets hurt while running or walking, or if they want to know how to run faster without getting tired or injured. Run3D uses special cameras and computers to watch how a person moves. These tools can see things that our eyes might miss, like if someone’s feet, knees, or hips are not moving the right way. After that, they give advice, exercises, or special tips to help people improve. It’s like having a superhero coach that looks inside your movements to help you stay injury free and strong!

But to do that, we need to understand what normal, healthy movement looks like for kids like you. By joining this project, you'll help us create a big 'movement map' that we can use to compare and figure out how to help other kids move at their best!

Who is it for?

If the answer to all of the following questions is "yes," you are eligible to join the project:

What will happen if I take part?

Overview of the project

If you join our project, here’s what we will do

Two kids displaying what to wear for a Run3D. A boy wearing a sports shirt, shorts, and trainers; and a girl wearing a sports shirt, leggings, and trainers.

Sports Kit

On the day, you’ll need to wear sports clothes:
 - Shorts or running tight leggings
 - A comfortable top
 - Your running shoes

Gait analysis (assessing how you walk and run)

 1) We’ll gently attach small markers to your legs and shoes with double sided tape. These markers look like tiny shiny balls or plates with shiny balls on them. They don’t hurt—they are just there to help identify where your joints are.
 2) After we apply the markers, we will ask you to stand still on the treadmill so we can record the position of the markers. After that, we will ask you to walk and run on the treadmill at different speeds, depending on your age. Don’t worry—the speed will be set to a pace that feels comfortable for you, and you’ll only need to walk or run for a short time.

Checking the strength of your muscles

After the treadmill, we’ll check how strong your muscles are using a small handheld machine called a dynamometer. This machine measures how strong your muscles are. To get the results, we’ll show you the movement we are looking for and ask you to push as hard as you can.

Results

‍When we’ve finished, we’ll explain everything we’ve learned about how you move and how strong your muscles are. We’ll also share tips with you and your parents about how you can get stronger and faster!

FAQ

What is gait analysis?

Gait analysis is a way for us to study the way you walk. For this, we will stick small silver ball markers onto the skin of your legs and feet. This will allow the three special cameras positioned around the treadmill to follow the position of these markers as you move.
Did you know that this technology was used in the latest Avengers and X-men movies?
During your visit, you will be asked to stand still for a few minutes, to allow the cameras to recognise all the small silver ball markers. Then you will be asked to walk and run on the treadmill while the cameras follow your moves and record the positions of the small silver balls.

Will it hurt?

No, the markers and tests don’t hurt at all. The tests are safe, and we’ll explain everything to you before we start.This is what the cameras see as you walk. The dots are the small silver balls. The computer joins these dots together to create your legs, arms and body. 

Will joining in help me?

Being part of this project will help you and your parents or coach see what you can work on to become stronger and faster.

What happens with the information we collect?

When we collect information about how you walk and run, we will look at it carefully and explain what it means for you. After gathering similar information from other children your age, we’ll create a general picture of what healthy movement looks like for children. This information will help us compare the movement patterns of other children to what is considered normal.
Don’t worry, your data will be combined with everyone else’s, and no one will know that you took part or be able to tell which data is yours. We make sure to keep everything private and safe!

What if there is a problem or something goes wrong?

If you are not happy because of something that happened during this project, please talk to your parent/guardian and they can let us know.

Book onto our project here!

1-2 February 2025

Chelmsford Athletics Club House, Salerno Way, Chelmsford, CM1 2EH

8-9 february 2025

St Elizabeth Hall, Hambrook Ln, Hambrook, Bristol, BS16 1RT