Gait analysis in Foley, MO. Gait analysis, also referred to as motion analysis, is a way physical therapists and other healthcare professionals can evaluate 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 customized for your lifestyle and goals.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Foley, MO, our staff of physical therapists base our practice on one thing: positive patient outcomes. If you’re curious if gait analysis would be beneficial for you, call the Axes’ location closest to you or request an appointment through our website to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When carried out by qualified 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 status of injury rehabilitation, and more. Because our gaits our the product of a combination 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 Foley, 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 accurate understanding of your gait, your Foley, MO physical therapist can personalize your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Foley, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it offers valuable data to your physical therapist about your motion, allowing them to offer more focused and personalized care. As such, gait analysis can positively impact a wide range of people in Foley, MO:

• Athletes searching for a competitive edge — Proper form becomes increasingly important at the highest level of athletic competition. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, address muscle imbalances and restricted mobility, 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 your progress and confirm that your body is recuperating and developing strength properly.
• Anyone else recovering from injury — Whether you were injured on the job, in a slip and fall, or underwent recent surgery, you don’t have to be an athlete to gain advantages 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 vet, gait analysis can assist you in identifying the appropriate footwear, which, along with further insights from gait analysis, can improve your speed, save energy, and minimize the chance of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can greatly disrupt your movement 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 assist you in adapting to your new device and maximizing its performance and comfort.
• Those suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can significantly impact our day-to-day lives and movement health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to track disease progression, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and shape rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inevitably weaken as we age. This can result in an heightened risk of falling for older adults, along with degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can offer support in identifying ways to alleviate pressure on sore joints, minimize injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor aspects of movement health.

No matter the reason you’re considering physical therapy, whether it’s striving to finally run that marathon or simply engage in your daily life without pain, Axes’ licensed therapists in Foley, MO will employ gait analysis to customize your treatment, maximize your care, and assist you in returning to the activities you enjoy.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are generally two primary types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this approach entails a physical therapist personally observing your gait in real time and via video recordings. It allows the physical therapist to obtain a overall overview of your movement health and readily spot any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis relies on the clinical expertise of the therapist to draw conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this approach employs advanced technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to provide objective, quantifiable data about your gait. By using precise numerical values, it allows greater in-depth analysis and monitoring of your progress over a period of time.

Both qualitative and instrument-assisted gait analysis are suitable in the right situations and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Foley, MO possesses the capacity and expertise to personalize our gait analysis services to address your specific needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Foley, MO

At Axes, our primary aim is delivering positive patient outcomes and helping individuals in getting back to what they love most. To accomplish this, we make use of every possible tool to support our patients in Foley, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Foley, MO, our experienced physical therapists utilize innovative DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide both qualitative and quantitative services.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are attached to your body that monitor your movement, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software translates that algorithmic information into helpful information that your physical therapist can examine
• During playback, your movements are slowed down to enable a more detailed analysis and examination of your movement
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their clinical observations to prescribe efficient, proven treatment modalities
• Your progress is continuously tracked over time and evaluated against the typical population as well as your prior sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Foley, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to offering our Foley, MO patients with effective, safe, and research-supported treatment plans that suit their lifestyles and goals. Gait analysis can be incorporated into your customized treatment plan:

• To begin the process, talk to your doctor to assess if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or come to 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 comprehensive treatment approach, optimizing your movement health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll design personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been validated through research and scholarly studies, ensuring their efficacy.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll support you in selecting proper footwear, braces, or other devices, while educating you on sustaining proper posture and enhancing movement health, incorporating insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll leverage gait analysis, together with other quantitative information and indicators, to constantly assess your growth and adjust your treatment plan as necessary.

Axes offers a lot more than just a list of exercises to complete. With decades of combined experience, professional knowledge, and innovative technologies at our disposal, Axes offers a committed team of physical therapists in Foley, MO who are determined to provide the best results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Foley, MO include:

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

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

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can positively improve your overall well-being and performance, regardless of whether that means gliding down the court or playing with your grandkids without pain. As we are dedicated to providing individualized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are the limited number of clinics in the Foley, 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 Foley, MO is suitable for you.