Gait analysis in Jefferson Barracks, MO. Gait analysis, in combination with video motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare professionals to examine your mobility to offer personalized therapy and return you to the things you love most. Whether you’re an athlete recovering from an injury or you’re trying to manage arthritis, gait analysis can be part of an overall, evidence-backed treatment plan that’s tailored to your lifestyle and goals.

Your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist can use gait analysis to:

• Diagnose and treat gait disorders
• Discover hidden musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that leads to pain or impacts movement health
• Assess and track treatment outcomes
• Prevent and rehab injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Select footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO, our staff of physical therapists are devoted to 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 make an appointment online to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When performed by credentialed physical therapists, gait analysis is an assessment 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 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 Jefferson Barracks, 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist can personalize your treatment and help you get the most rewards for your movement health and fitness.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Jefferson Barracks, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it provides important insights to your physical therapist about your movement health, allowing them to offer more specific and personalized approach. As such, gait analysis can benefit a wide range of people in Jefferson Barracks, MO:

• Athletes searching for a competitive edge in their sport — Correct form becomes vital at the peak of sports. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, identify 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 monitor how your recovery’s going and verify that your body is healing and gaining strength properly.
• Anyone else 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 aiding your recovery from trauma.
• Runners — Whether you’re just starting out in a beginner running program or you’re a seasoned runner, gait analysis can aid you in identifying the right footwear, which, coupled with further insights from gait analysis, can enhance your speed, conserve energy, and reduce the chance of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can drastically impede your mobility 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 also support you in acclimating to your new device and maximizing its function and convenience.
• Those with neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other conditions can profoundly influence our day-to-day lives and mobility health. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to observe disease progression, assess treatment effectiveness, and guide rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inherently lose strength as we age. This can result in an increased risk of falling for older adults, in addition to degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can provide assistance in identifying ways to relieve pressure on sore joints, reduce injury risks, and assess the cognitive and motor facets of movement health.

Regardless of why you’re considering physical therapy, whether it’s aiming to finally run that marathon or just enjoy your daily life without pain, Axes’ licensed therapists in Jefferson Barracks, MO will employ gait analysis to personalize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in getting back to the experiences you cherish.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are commonly two main types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this method entails a physical therapist directly watching your gait as you walk and via video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to acquire a general overview of your mobility health and effortlessly detect any observable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis utilizes the clinical expertise of the therapist to reach conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this technique employs specific technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to provide objective, quantifiable data regarding your gait. By utilizing precise numerical values, it allows more detailed analysis and tracking of your progress over time.

Both qualitative and quantitative gait analysis are suitable in the right circumstances and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Jefferson Barracks, MO possesses the capabilities and expertise to personalize our gait analysis services to fulfill your specific needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Jefferson Barracks, MO

At Axes, our primary goal is delivering positive patient outcomes and helping individuals in returning to what they love most. To accomplish this, we utilize every possible tool to support our patients in Jefferson Barracks, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Jefferson Barracks, MO, our expert physical therapists employ cutting-edge DorsaVi video motion analysis to offer combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are positioned on your body that track your motion, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software converts that complex data into valuable information that your physical therapist can review
• During playback, your movements are slowed down to enable a more thorough analysis and examination of your motion
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their clinical observations to prescribe efficient, proven treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly monitored over time and evaluated against the average population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Jefferson Barracks, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is committed to delivering our Jefferson Barracks, MO patients with successful, safe, and evidence-backed treatment plans that fit their daily lives and objectives. Gait analysis can be incorporated into your customized treatment plan:

• To get started, ask your doctor if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or visit any Axes’ location for a free injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a thorough patient interview and assessment to gain insight into your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll build a partnership with you and your doctor, incorporating the findings of gait analysis into your holistic treatment approach, improving your movement health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll create personalized treatment plans integrating methodologies that have been validated through research and scholarly studies, ensuring their success.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll help you in picking proper footwear, braces, or other devices, while informing you on achieving proper posture and optimizing movement health, utilizing insights gained from gait analysis.
• We’ll leverage gait analysis, alongside other quantitative data and markers, to constantly review your progress and modify your treatment plan as necessary.

Axes delivers far more than just a list of exercises to tick 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO who are determined to provide optimal results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Jefferson Barracks, 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can positively enhance your overall well-being and movement health, whether that means soaring down the court or playing with your grandkids without pain. As we are committed to providing individualized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are the limited number of clinics in the Jefferson Barracks, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to optimize your movement health, contact the nearest Axes location or contact us online to determine if gait analysis in Jefferson Barracks, MO is suitable for you.