Gait analysis in Kimmswick, MO. Gait analysis, also referred to as motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare practitioners to assess your movement to offer personalized therapy and get you back to the activities you love. 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 treatment plan that’s customized for your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Detect and address gait disorders
• Uncover hidden musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that results in pain or influences movement health
• Assess and track 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 Kimmswick, MO, our team of physical therapists base our practice on one thing: positive patient outcomes. If you’re wondering if gait analysis can help you, call the Axes’ location nearest you or request 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 gaining precise information about how you walk and run, your physical therapist can offer insights into muscle imbalances, injury risks, the status of injury recovery, and more. Because our gaits our the result of a combination 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 Kimmswick, 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 Kimmswick, MO physical therapist can customize your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Kimmswick, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it provides important data 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 Kimmswick, MO:

• Athletes seeking a competitive advantage — Proper form becomes vital at the peak of athletic competition. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, address strength imbalances and restricted mobility, and prevent injury.
• Athletes recuperating from injury — If you’re recovering 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 correctly.
• Others recovering from injury — Whether you were injured at work, involved in a car accident, or underwent recent surgery, you don’t have to be an athlete to experience 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 vet, gait analysis can aid you in discovering the appropriate footwear, which, along with additional insights from gait analysis, can boost your speed, conserve energy, and reduce the probability of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can significantly disrupt 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 support you in adjusting to your new device and maximizing its function and convenience.
• Those suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can significantly influence our daily functioning and movement health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to observe disease progression, judge treatment effectiveness, and shape rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inherently lose strength as we age. This may lead to an elevated risk of falling for older adults, along with degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can be beneficial in identifying ways to lessen pressure on painful joints, minimize injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor facets of mobility health.

No matter why you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s striving to eventually run that marathon or just enjoy your day-to-day life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed physical and occupational therapists in Kimmswick, MO will utilize gait analysis to customize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in getting back to the pursuits you enjoy.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are generally two main 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 through video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to obtain a overall assessment of your mobility health and readily detect any apparent patterns. Qualitative gait analysis relies on the professional judgment 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 deliver objective, measurable data regarding your gait. By utilizing precise numerical values, it enables greater detailed analysis and tracking of your improvement over a period of time.

Both qualitative and quantitative gait analysis are appropriate in the right circumstances and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Kimmswick, MO has the capabilities and knowledge to personalize our gait analysis services to address your individual needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Kimmswick, 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 utilize every possible tool to support our patients in Kimmswick, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Kimmswick, MO, our experienced physical therapists employ state-of-the-art DorsaVi video motion analysis to offer both 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 interprets that algorithmic information into useful information that your physical therapist can examine
• During video replay, your movements are slowed down to facilitate a more detailed analysis and examination of your motion
• Your Axes’ physical therapist incorporates these insights with their professional observations to recommend efficient, evidence-based treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly tracked over time and compared against the average population as well as your prior sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Kimmswick, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to offering our Kimmswick, MO patients with successful, safe, and scientifically validated treatment plans that suit their lifestyles and goals. Gait analysis can be incorporated into your personalized treatment plan:

• To get started, ask your doctor if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or come to any Axes’ location for a complimentary injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a thorough patient interview and assessment to understand your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll form a partnership with you and your doctor, including the results of gait analysis into your all-encompassing treatment approach, optimizing your mobility health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll develop personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been proven through research and peer-reviewed studies, ensuring their success.
• In addition to offering physical therapy exercises, we’ll support you in selecting suitable footwear, braces, or alternative devices, while educating you on achieving proper posture and optimizing movement health, utilizing insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll use gait analysis, alongside other measurable data and indicators, to constantly review your growth and adapt your treatment plan as needed.

Axes delivers much more than just a list of exercises to check off. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and advanced technologies at our disposal, Axes offers a specialized team of physical therapists in Kimmswick, MO who are motivated to provide excellent results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Kimmswick, 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 Kimmswick, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can significantly contribute to your overall health and performance, whether that means soaring down the field or climbing stairs without discomfort. As we are committed to offering personalized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are the limited number of clinics in the Kimmswick, MO area that provide video motion analysis. If you want to improve your movement health, contact the nearest Axes location or contact us online to ascertain if gait analysis in Kimmswick, MO is right for you.