Gait analysis in Dittmer, MO. Gait analysis, also referred to as motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare providers to assess your movement to offer better treatment and return you to the activities you love. Whether you’re an athlete dealing with an injury or you’re trying to manage chronic pain, gait analysis can be part of an overall, evidence-backed therapy program that’s tailored to your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Identify and manage gait disorders
• Uncover hidden musculoskeletal or nerve impairment that causes pain or affects movement health
• Measure and follow treatment outcomes
• Prevent and recover from injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Find footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Dittmer, MO, our staff of physical therapists base our practice on one thing: getting you back to what you enjoy most. If you’re wondering if gait analysis is right for you, call the Axes’ location nearest you or make an appointment online to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When carried out by licensed physical therapists, gait analysis is an assessment of how you move, specifically how you walk and run. By gaining precise information about how you walk and run, your physical therapist can offer insights into muscle imbalances, injury risks, the progress of injury recovery, and more. Because our gaits our the result of a multitude 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 Dittmer, 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 a exact understanding of your gait, your Dittmer, MO physical therapist can tailor your treatment and help you get the most benefit for your movement health and fitness.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Dittmer, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it offers essential information to your physical therapist about your mobility, allowing them to offer more targeted and personalized treatment. As such, gait analysis can be advantageous for a wide range of people in Dittmer, MO:

• Athletes seeking a competitive advantage — Correct form becomes essential at the pinnacle of sports. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, address muscle imbalances and restricted mobility, and prevent injury.
• Athletes recovering from injury — If you’re recovering from an ACL tear or other sports injury, gait analysis can be used to track how your recovery’s going and verify that your body is recuperating and building strength correctly.
• Anyone else recovering from injury — Whether you were injured at work, in a slip and fall, or need post-surgical therapy, you don’t have to be an athlete to experience positives from gait analysis in assisting your recuperation 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 right footwear, which, together with further insights from gait analysis, can enhance your speed, save energy, and lower the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can greatly impede your movement health, as well as resulting in phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices customized to your body and lifestyle. It can furthermore assist you in adjusting to your new device and maximizing its performance and convenience.
• People suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can profoundly influence our daily functioning and movement health. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to observe disease progression, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and shape rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inevitably lose strength as we age. This may lead to an increased risk of falling for older adults, along with degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can provide assistance in discovering ways to alleviate pressure on painful joints, reduce injury risks, and assess the cognitive and motor aspects of movement health.

No matter why you’re considering physical therapy, whether it’s working to eventually run that marathon or just engage in your daily life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed physical and occupational therapists in Dittmer, MO will apply gait analysis to personalize your treatment, maximize your care, and help you in getting back to the pursuits you love.

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 approach entails a physical therapist personally watching your gait in real time and through video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to obtain a overall assessment of your movement health and effortlessly detect 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 approach employs specialized technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to offer objective, measurable data concerning your gait. By using precise numerical values, it enables more detailed analysis and tracking of your progress over time.

Both clinical and quantitative gait analysis are suitable in the right situations and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Dittmer, MO has the capabilities and expertise to personalize our gait analysis services to fulfill your individual needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Dittmer, MO

At Axes, our primary objective is achieving positive patient outcomes and helping individuals in getting back to their cherished activities. To accomplish this, we utilize every available tool that can help our patients in Dittmer, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Dittmer, MO, our expert physical therapists utilize state-of-the-art DorsaVi video motion analysis to offer both qualitative and quantitative services.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are positioned on your body that monitor your movement, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software converts that algorithmic information into valuable information that your physical therapist can analyze
• During video replay, your movements are slowed down to facilitate a more detailed analysis and breakdown of your movement
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their professional observations to prescribe effective, evidence-based treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly tracked over time and evaluated against the typical population as well as your prior sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Dittmer, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to delivering our Dittmer, MO patients with effective, safe, and evidence-backed treatment plans that align with their daily lives and objectives. Gait analysis can be included in your customized treatment plan:

• To get started, talk to your doctor to evaluate if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or visit any Axes’ location for a free injury screening.
• We’ll conduct a comprehensive history taking and assessment to understand your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll create a team with you and your doctor, integrating the insights from gait analysis into your holistic treatment approach, enhancing your mobility health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll create personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been proven through research and peer-reviewed studies, ensuring their effectiveness.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll assist you in choosing proper footwear, braces, or other devices, while informing you on sustaining proper posture and improving movement health, utilizing insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll leverage gait analysis, alongside other quantitative information and indicators, to constantly review your growth and adjust your treatment plan as necessary.

Axes delivers much more than just a list of exercises to tick off. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and cutting-edge technologies at our fingertips, Axes offers a specialized team of physical therapists in Dittmer, MO who are driven to provide optimal results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Dittmer, 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 Dittmer, 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 pain. As we are committed to providing individualized, evidence-based treatment plans, we are among the limited number of clinics in the Dittmer, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to enhance your movement health, call the nearest Axes location or contact us online to determine if gait analysis in Dittmer, MO is appropriate for you.