Gait analysis in Berkeley, MO. Gait analysis, also referred to as motion analysis, is a way physical therapists and other healthcare providers can assess your mobility to offer personalized therapy and return you to the things you enjoy most. Whether you’re an athlete recovering from an injury or you’re trying to cope with chronic pain, gait analysis can be part of an overall, evidence-backed therapy program that’s personalized for your lifestyle and goals.

Your Berkeley, MO physical therapist can use gait analysis to:

• Detect and address gait disorders
• Find out underlying musculoskeletal or nerve impairment that results in pain or impacts movement health
• Evaluate and monitor treatment outcomes
• Prevent and recover from injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Choose footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Berkeley, MO, our staff of physical therapists base our practice on one thing: getting you back to what you love most. If you’re wondering if gait analysis would be beneficial for you, call the Axes’ location most convenient for you or request an appointment through our website to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When performed by credentialed physical therapists, gait analysis is an evaluation of how you move, specifically how you walk and run. By understanding how you walk and run, your physical therapist can offer insights into muscle imbalances, injury risks, the status of injury rehabilitation, and more. Because our gaits our the product of a variety of factors – strength, flexibility, coordination, vision, the vestibular system – gait analysis can provide a valuable look at what may be affecting your movement health.

In a gait analysis appointment, your Axes physical therapist in Berkeley, MO will look at:

• Step length and width
• Cadence (number of steps taken per minute)
• Foot and ankle alignment to see if you have tendencies towards pronation (inward rolling) or supination (outward rolling)
• Joint movement and range of motion
• Movement of the pelvis to see if there is excessive rotating or titling
• Stability, balance, and body sway (the amount of lateral movement)
• Step repeatability (the similarity of your steps)

With precise insights into your gait, your Berkeley, MO physical therapist can personalize your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Berkeley, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a treatment by itself, it provides important insights to your physical therapist about your movement health, allowing them to offer more specific and customized treatment. As such, gait analysis can positively impact a wide range of people in Berkeley, MO:

• Athletes looking for a competitive advantage — Proper form becomes vital at the highest level of sports. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, identify strength imbalances and limited range of motion, and prevent injury.
• Athletes healing from injury — If you’re coming back from an ACL tear or other sports injury, gait analysis can be used to track how your recovery’s going and ensure that your body is healing and building strength adequately.
• Others recovering from injury — Whether you were injured on the job, in a slip and fall, or need post-surgical therapy, you don’t have to be an athlete to gain positives from gait analysis in aiding your recuperation from injury.
• Runners — Whether you’re just starting out in a beginner running program or you’re an experienced vet, gait analysis can assist you in identifying the right footwear, which, coupled with other insights from gait analysis, can improve your speed, conserve energy, and lower the chance of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can drastically interrupt your mobility health, as well as causing phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices tailored to your body and lifestyle. It can additionally support you in adapting to your new device and maximizing its function and convenience.
• Those with neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can greatly affect our everyday functioning and movement health. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to track disease progression, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and direct rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inherently weaken as we age. This may lead to an elevated risk of falling for older adults, as well as degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can provide assistance in discovering ways to relieve pressure on sore joints, mitigate injury risks, and assess the cognitive and motor aspects of mobility health.

No matter the reason you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s working to eventually run that marathon or simply enjoy your day-to-day life without pain, Axes’ licensed therapists in Berkeley, MO will utilize gait analysis to personalize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in getting back to the pursuits you love.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are generally two major types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this technique entails a physical therapist personally observing your gait in real time and through video recordings. It allows the physical therapist to gain a general overview of your mobility health and readily spot any apparent patterns. Qualitative gait analysis utilizes the clinical expertise of the therapist to draw conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this method employs specialized technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to deliver objective, quantifiable data regarding your gait. By employing precise numerical values, it enables greater in-depth analysis and tracking of your improvement over time.

Both qualitative and quantitative gait analysis are suitable in the right circumstances and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Berkeley, MO possesses the capacity and expertise to customize our gait analysis services to address your specific needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Berkeley, MO

At Axes, our main aim is delivering positive patient outcomes and assisting individuals in returning to what they love most. To accomplish this, we utilize every possible tool to support our patients in Berkeley, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Berkeley, MO, our experienced physical therapists utilize advanced DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide both qualitative and quantitative services.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are placed on your body that track your motion, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software converts that algorithmic information into valuable information that your physical therapist can examine
• During video replay, your movements are slowed down to aid a more detailed analysis and examination of your motion
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their professional observations to recommend efficient, proven treatment modalities
• Your progress is continuously monitored over time and compared against the typical population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Berkeley, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is committed to providing our Berkeley, MO patients with effective, safe, and evidence-backed treatment plans that suit their lifestyles and goals. Gait analysis can be included in your customized treatment plan:

• To start the process, consult your doctor to assess if gait analysis could be beneficial for you, or come to any Axes’ location for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a detailed history taking and assessment to understand your objectives, preferences, and health background.
• We’ll build a team with you and your doctor, integrating the results of gait analysis into your all-encompassing treatment approach, optimizing your movement health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll develop personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been confirmed through research and scholarly studies, ensuring their success.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll help you in picking suitable footwear, braces, or alternative devices, while informing you on maintaining proper posture and enhancing movement health, incorporating insights gained from gait analysis.
• We’ll employ gait analysis, together with other quantitative data and indicators, to consistently evaluate your growth and adapt your treatment plan as necessary.

Axes delivers a lot more than simply a list of exercises to check off. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and state-of-the-art technologies at our disposal, Axes offers a dedicated team of physical therapists in Berkeley, MO who are motivated to deliver the best results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Berkeley, MO include:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Call Axes’ for Your Gait Analysis in Berkeley, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can significantly contribute to your overall health and performance, regardless of whether that means flying down the field or going up stairs without discomfort. As we are dedicated to offering personalized, evidence-based treatment plans, we are among the few clinics in the Berkeley, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to improve your movement health, contact the nearest Axes location or contact us online to determine if gait analysis in Berkeley, MO is suitable for you.