Gait analysis in Bismarck, MO. Gait analysis, in combination with video motion analysis, is a way physical therapists and other healthcare professionals can examine your movement to offer better care and return you to the things you love 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 tailored to your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Diagnose and treat gait disorders
• Uncover hidden musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that results in pain or impacts movement health
• Evaluate and monitor treatment outcomes
• Prevent and rehabilitate injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Select footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Bismarck, MO, our staff of physical therapists are devoted to one thing: positive patient outcomes. If you’re curious if gait analysis can help you, call the Axes’ location closest to you or make an appointment online to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When done by professional physical therapists, gait analysis is an evaluation of how you move, specifically how you walk and run. By understanding how you move, your physical therapist can offer insights into muscle imbalances, injury risks, the progress 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 your overall movement health.

In a gait analysis appointment, your Axes physical therapist in Bismarck, 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 Bismarck, MO physical therapist can customize your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Bismarck, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a healing method by itself, it offers crucial data to your physical therapist about your mobility, allowing them to offer more targeted and customized approach. As such, gait analysis can be advantageous for a wide range of people in Bismarck, MO:

• Athletes searching for a performance boost — Proper form becomes crucial at the zenith of sports. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, address muscle imbalances and restricted mobility, and prevent injury.
• Athletes recuperating from injury — If you’re coming back from an ACL tear or other sports injury, gait analysis can be used to monitor your progress and verify that your body is recuperating and gaining strength properly.
• Others recovering from injury — Whether you were injured on the job, involved in a car accident, or had to get surgery, you don’t have to be an athlete to derive benefits from gait analysis in aiding your recovery from injury.
• Runners — Whether you’re just starting out in a beginner running program or you’re an experienced veteran, gait analysis can assist you in discovering the suitable footwear, which, together with additional insights from gait analysis, can boost your speed, preserve energy, and lower the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can greatly impede your mobility health, as well as causing phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices specifically designed to your body and lifestyle. It can furthermore support you in adjusting to your new device and optimizing its function and comfort.
• People with neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can profoundly influence our day-to-day functioning and mobility health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to observe disease progression, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and shape rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies naturally lose strength as we age. This can result in an heightened risk of falling for older adults, as well as degenerative conditions such as tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can be beneficial in finding ways to lessen pressure on aching joints, mitigate injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor elements of mobility health.

No matter the reason you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s aiming to finally run that marathon or simply engage in your day-to-day life without pain, Axes’ licensed therapists in Bismarck, MO will apply gait analysis to personalize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in getting back to the pursuits you cherish.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are typically two primary types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this technique entails a physical therapist personally observing your gait as you walk and via video recordings. It allows the physical therapist to gain a overall assessment of your mobility health and easily detect any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis depends on the clinical expertise of the therapist to reach conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this approach employs specialized technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to deliver objective, quantifiable data about your gait. By using precise numerical values, it enables greater detailed analysis and tracking of your progress over time.

Both clinical and quantitative gait analysis are appropriate in the right situations and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Bismarck, MO has the ability and expertise to tailor our gait analysis services to meet your particular needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Bismarck, MO

At Axes, our main focus is achieving positive patient outcomes and assisting individuals in getting back to their cherished activities. To accomplish this, we make use of every available tool to support our patients in Bismarck, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Bismarck, MO, our experienced physical therapists employ advanced DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are attached to your body that record your movement, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software converts that complex data into valuable information that your physical therapist can examine
• During video replay, your movements are slowed down to facilitate a more comprehensive analysis and examination of your movement
• Your Axes’ physical therapist incorporates these insights with their professional observations to recommend effective, proven treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly monitored over time and evaluated against the typical population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Bismarck, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is committed to offering our Bismarck, MO patients with effective, safe, and scientifically validated treatment plans that fit their lifestyles and goals. Gait analysis can be included in your personalized treatment plan:

• To begin the process, ask your doctor if gait analysis might be advantageous for you, or come to any Axes’ location for a free injury screening.
• We’ll perform a detailed patient interview and assessment to understand your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll create a team with you and your doctor, including the findings of gait analysis into your comprehensive treatment approach, optimizing your mobility 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 offering physical therapy exercises, we’ll assist you in selecting appropriate footwear, braces, or alternative devices, while educating you on sustaining proper posture and optimizing movement health, utilizing insights acquired from gait analysis.
• We’ll use gait analysis, alongside other quantitative data and indicators, to constantly evaluate your growth and adjust your treatment plan as needed.

Axes offers a lot more than just a list of exercises to complete. With decades of combined experience, professional knowledge, and state-of-the-art technologies at our disposal, Axes offers a committed team of physical therapists in Bismarck, MO who are driven to provide excellent results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Bismarck, 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 Bismarck, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can significantly contribute to your overall well-being and performance, whether that means flying down the court or going up stairs without pain. As we are committed to offering individualized, evidence-based treatment plans, we are among the limited number of clinics in the Bismarck, MO area that provide video motion analysis. If you want to enhance your movement health, contact the nearest Axes location or contact us online to determine if gait analysis in Bismarck, MO is suitable for you.