Metric glossary
Hip drop (pelvic drop)
How much the opposite side of your hips dips while you stand on one leg during each step.
- Pods needed
- A pelvis pod plus pods on both shins
- Usual confidence
- Low what this means
What it is
When you land on your right foot, the left side of your pelvis tends to dip a little, and the other way round. Hip drop is the size of that dip in degrees. We show the side that drops more. Technically: contralateral pelvic drop.
How we measure it
A pod at the centre of the lower back tracks its side-to-side tilt 100 times a second. Shin pods tell us which foot is on the ground. Stand still for 3 seconds at the start so we know your level position.
Typical range
| Band | Hip drop |
|---|---|
| Good | 4° or less |
| Watch | 4° to 7° |
| Work on | more than 7° |
Motion sensors read hip drop 3–4° lower than lab cameras, so our bands are set lower than lab values.
How sure we are
Low, and always labelled estimate. It counts only half in your Running Form score until we have validated it ourselves. See how confidence works.
What you can try
Cue: "run tall, level hips".
- Raise your steps per minute by about 10 %. In one study this lowered hip drop by about 3°.
- Side plank: 2 × 30 s per side.
- Single-leg squats and hip hikes: 2 × 8 per side.
Good to know
See also left vs right and bounce.
Updated 1 November 2026.
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ReadMyMove shows how you move. It does not assess injuries or health. If you have pain, see a health professional. If you're pain-free, there's no need to change something just because it differs from a typical range.