Gait analysis in Herculaneum, MO. Gait analysis, also called motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare providers to assess your movement to offer better therapy and return you to the things you enjoy most. Whether you’re an athlete healing from an injury or you’re trying to cope with arthritis, gait analysis can be part of an overall, evidence-backed plan of care that’s customized for your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Detect and address gait disorders
• Discover underlying 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 Herculaneum, MO, our staff of physical therapists are dedicated to one thing: positive patient outcomes. If you’re wondering if gait analysis would be beneficial for you, call the Axes’ location most convenient for you or make an appointment through our website to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When carried out by licensed 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 result 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 Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, MO physical therapist can customize your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Herculaneum, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy by itself, it offers essential insights to your physical therapist about your movement health, allowing them to offer more targeted and customized care. As such, gait analysis can positively impact a wide range of people in Herculaneum, MO:

• Athletes seeking a performance boost — Correct form becomes crucial at the pinnacle of athletic competition. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, identify strength 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 ensure that your body is recovering and developing 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 experience positives from gait analysis in assisting your recuperation from trauma.
• Runners — Whether you’re just starting out in a beginner running program or you’re an experienced vet, gait analysis can help you in identifying the suitable footwear, which, coupled with other insights from gait analysis, can enhance your speed, conserve energy, and lower the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can greatly interrupt your movement health, as well as resulting in phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices specifically designed to your body and lifestyle. It can also help you in acclimating to your new device and optimizing its function and convenience.
• People suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other conditions can greatly influence our day-to-day functioning and mobility health. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to track disease progression, judge treatment effectiveness, and guide rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inherently weaken as we age. This may lead to an increased risk of falling for older adults, in addition to degenerative conditions such as tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can be beneficial in identifying ways to alleviate pressure on aching joints, reduce injury risks, and assess the cognitive and motor facets of mobility health.

No matter why you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s working to finally run that marathon or just engage in your daily life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed therapists in Herculaneum, MO will utilize gait analysis to personalize your treatment, maximize your care, and help you in returning to the experiences you enjoy.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are typically two major types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this approach entails a physical therapist directly observing your gait as you walk and through video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to obtain a general assessment of your movement health and effortlessly detect any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis utilizes the professional judgment of the therapist to reach conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this technique employs advanced technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to deliver objective, measurable data concerning your gait. By using precise numerical values, it enables more in-depth analysis and tracking of your improvement over a period of time.

Both qualitative and instrument-assisted gait analysis are suitable in the right circumstances and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Herculaneum, MO has the capacity and expertise to tailor our gait analysis services to fulfill your specific needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Herculaneum, MO

At Axes, our main focus is delivering positive patient outcomes and assisting individuals in returning to what they love most. To accomplish this, we employ every available tool to support our patients in Herculaneum, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Herculaneum, MO, our expert physical therapists employ cutting-edge DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide both qualitative and quantitative services.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are positioned on your body that monitor your motion, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software interprets that hard data 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 incorporates these insights with their clinical observations to prescribe efficient, proven treatment modalities
• Your progress is continuously tracked over time and compared against the typical population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Herculaneum, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to offering our Herculaneum, MO patients with successful, safe, and evidence-backed treatment plans that suit their daily lives and objectives. Gait analysis can be incorporated into your individualized treatment plan:

• To start the process, ask your doctor if gait analysis might be advantageous for you, or come to any Axes’ location for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a detailed patient interview and assessment to gain insight into your objectives, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll create a team with you and your doctor, integrating the insights from gait analysis into your all-encompassing treatment approach, optimizing your mobility health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll develop personalized treatment plans integrating methodologies that have been proven through research and peer-reviewed studies, ensuring their effectiveness.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll support you in choosing proper footwear, braces, or other devices, while informing you on sustaining proper posture and enhancing movement health, utilizing insights gained from gait analysis.
• We’ll leverage gait analysis, alongside other measurable data and markers, to constantly assess your progress and modify your treatment plan as necessary.

Axes delivers much more than simply a list of exercises to complete. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and innovative technologies at our disposal, Axes provides a committed team of physical therapists in Herculaneum, MO who are motivated to provide excellent results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can significantly improve your overall well-being and movement health, regardless of whether that involves flying down the court or climbing stairs without pain. As we are committed to providing individualized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are one of the few clinics in the Herculaneum, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to improve your movement health, reach out to the nearest Axes location or contact us online to ascertain if gait analysis in Herculaneum, MO is suitable for you.