Gait analysis in Maryland Heights, MO. Gait analysis, also referred to as motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare providers to examine your mobility to offer better therapy and return you to the things you enjoy 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 plan of care that’s customized for your lifestyle and goals.

Your Maryland Heights, MO physical therapist can use gait analysis to:

• Identify and manage gait disorders
• Discover underlying musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that causes pain or impacts movement health
• Evaluate and monitor treatment outcomes
• Prevent and rehab injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Find footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Maryland Heights, MO, our team 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 most convenient for you or schedule an appointment through our website to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When performed by qualified physical therapists, gait analysis is an evaluation of how you move, specifically how you walk and run. By gaining precise information about 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 product of a multitude 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 Maryland Heights, 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 Maryland Heights, MO physical therapist can personalize your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Maryland Heights, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a healing method in and of itself, it provides crucial data to your physical therapist about your movement health, allowing them to offer more focused and customized approach. As such, gait analysis can benefit a wide range of people in Maryland Heights, MO:

• Athletes seeking a competitive advantage — Correct form becomes vital at the zenith of competition. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, identify strength imbalances and range of motion limitations, and prevent injury.
• Athletes healing from injury — If you’re coming off an ACL tear or other sports injury, gait analysis can be used to track how your recovery’s going and confirm that your body is recovering and building strength correctly.
• Others recovering from injury — Whether you were injured at work, involved in a car accident, or had to get surgery, 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 vet, gait analysis can assist you in identifying the appropriate footwear, which, along with additional insights from gait analysis, can boost your speed, conserve energy, and lower the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can drastically impede your movement health, in addition to causing 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 comfort.
• Those suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can greatly influence our daily functioning and mobility health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to track disease progression, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and guide rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inevitably weaken as we age. This can cause an heightened risk of falling for older adults, along with degenerative conditions such as tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can be beneficial in identifying ways to alleviate pressure on painful joints, minimize injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor aspects of movement health.

No matter the reason you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s aiming to eventually run that marathon or simply enjoy your day-to-day life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed therapists in Maryland Heights, MO will utilize gait analysis to customize your treatment, maximize your care, and assist you in getting back to the pursuits 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 watching your gait as you walk and via video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to obtain a general overview of your movement health and readily identify any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis utilizes the professional judgment of the therapist to make assessments.
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, measurable data about your gait. By utilizing precise numerical values, it allows more thorough 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 Maryland Heights, MO possesses the capabilities and knowledge to personalize our gait analysis services to meet your specific needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Maryland Heights, MO

At Axes, our main goal is achieving positive patient outcomes and helping individuals in getting back to what they love most. To accomplish this, we utilize every available tool that can help our patients in Maryland Heights, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Maryland Heights, MO, our highly skilled physical therapists utilize innovative DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are positioned on your body that record your movement, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software translates that hard data into valuable information that your physical therapist can review
• During playback, your movements are slowed down to enable a more thorough analysis and breakdown of your movement
• Your Axes’ physical therapist incorporates these insights with their clinical observations to recommend effective, evidence-based 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 Maryland Heights, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is committed to providing our Maryland Heights, MO patients with successful, safe, and evidence-backed treatment plans that fit their daily lives and goals. Gait analysis can be part of your customized treatment plan:

• To get started, consult your doctor to determine if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or visit any Axes’ location for a complimentary injury screening.
• We’ll perform a comprehensive patient interview and physical examination to understand your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll form a team with you and your doctor, incorporating the findings of gait analysis into your holistic treatment approach, improving your mobility health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll design personalized treatment plans integrating methodologies that have been proven through research and scholarly studies, ensuring their success.
• In addition to offering physical therapy exercises, we’ll help you in choosing proper footwear, braces, or other devices, while informing you on maintaining proper posture and optimizing movement health, drawing on insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll leverage gait analysis, together with other measurable data and markers, to consistently assess your progress and adapt your treatment plan accordingly.

Axes provides a lot more than simply a list of exercises to tick off. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and innovative technologies at our disposal, Axes provides a committed team of physical therapists in Maryland Heights, MO who are determined to provide the best results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Maryland Heights, 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 Maryland Heights, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can greatly enhance your overall well-being and performance, whether that means flying down the field or climbing stairs without pain. As we are dedicated to offering personalized, evidence-based treatment plans, we’re among the few clinics in the Maryland Heights, MO area that provide video motion analysis. If you want to improve your movement health, reach out to the nearest Axes location or contact us online to determine if gait analysis in Maryland Heights, MO is appropriate for you.