Launched in October 2020 mymo is the result of three years R&D by Craig Downs and Martin Coleman. Now available to buy the mymo landed on our desks to try out and share our findings. Here’s an initial quick look at the little gadget. The Mymo running shoe finder seeks to support your running and footwear choices with pocket sized gait analysis wherever you can run.
Mymo has just announced that it is now an official partner to Jogging Buddy, the free web platform that helps walkers, joggers, and runners buddy-up to exercise and make new friends.
What is it?
We first saw mymo a few weeks ago (here). Mymo is a tiny pod device that fits into an ankle sock, similar to a support you might have for an ankle injury rehab. The device links via bluetooth to an App Android or iPhone so you can analyse the data.
Who is it for?
Anyone looking to monitor their gait without needing a full analysis. The ability to be able to do an up to date test anywhere you can run and have a shoe recommendation will be perfect for some runners.
The mymo does offer advantages over an instore analysis:
- It’s ready to go when you are
- You run on the terrain you would normally run
- It’s impartial and data driven
- No need to travel to get your analysis
- Your history is stored in the App
- As you develop your running style you can easily monitor the data
- You potentially run more naturally
- It could help avoid injury in the future
As with any electronic device there are areas that might be of note:
- It’s not human so there might be issues an expert in gait analysis might spot whilst you’re being analysed
- Mymo is only as good as the data so user error might be an issue in the tests – or not! We will see.
- It’s £40 and often instore gait analysis is free
How well is it made?
The footpad is not much bigger than the top of your thumb and fits into a simple but well constructed neoprene ankle support. Stitching is solid all over the contact points. A heel tab loop from webbing forms a loop and allows easy access for your foot.
Look and fit of the running shoe finder
The support fits snuggly and stayed in place without any issues on first fitting. It’s very unobtrusive and will not impede your running style during the tests.
App features
The App is where all the action takes place. Pairing with your phone via Bluetooth was seamless. The footpad connected every time without fail. Within the App there are plenty of useful content to get stuck into. The App offers advice from professionals to help you out, your gait data is stored for future reference. The mymoPlus offers additional content to support you, this is currently £3.95 per month.
The running shoe finder is where the gathered data is very useful. The App can suggest the correct shoe for your measured gait analysis. This is where the data can offer an impartial suggestion based on your data and its database of shoe types.
Mymo conducted a study to support it’s device, you can read it here.
So far so good it seems. Once you have created your profile with some basic information you are set to go. Pairing the mymo with the app is quick and dashboard simple to navigate. Once you’re ready to test, the app calibrates the footpad which takes a few seconds, you get a countdown and you start your run. This is where a flat and even surface is handy, a running track or straight road is perfect. The app records your progress and after the test period of 50 seconds you can swap the pod to your other foot and continue the test.
Data is analysed, this took about 30-40 seconds and your results are ready to read. Angles of pronation are displayed and your foot strike characteristics viewable in a little video graphic. My results showed mild pronation of 5% on my left foot and a predominant heel strike. The right foot was 0% pronation and more fore foot striking.
The app offers simple guidance to help interpret the data if you need.
The next feature is the shoe guide. A wide range of suitable shoes are suggested and these can be filtered by brand, type, weight, drop, even colour. A really clever function.
Also available within the app are a range of video guides to help with strength and core training, injury support and helpful advice from Physio Kev Jeffress and Coaching help from Ken Harker.
Is it worth your money?
Currently the mymo is priced at £39.99 with one month free on the mymo plus service. As an ongoing tool to support your running it looks like a brilliant idea and costs far less than many people spend on one pair of shoes.
If you regularly have your gait checked then it seems like it might be a bargain and pay for itself pretty soon. In use we found the device very easy to use and have found ourselves using it more regularly than you might imagine. It’s an addictive little device that will get plenty of use. For example as you progress with your running your style is bound to alter, with the mymo you can very quickly get your new metrics and factor this into training and new shoe purchases.
As gadgets go this is a very decent tool to help you out and is so simple to use and the data easy to read it will not stay in a drawer, you’re bound to be testing it out frequently. Is it better than a gait analysis in a running store? It’s certainly more convenient and will provide long term consistent results. In conclusion the mymo is something that you will use much more than you think and as gadgets go it’s pretty keenly priced.
Well worth checking out.
You can find out more at the mymo Website here.
