Gait analysis in Matson, MO. Gait analysis, alongside video motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare practitioners to assess your mobility to offer better therapy and return you to the things you like doing most. Whether you’re an athlete recovering 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 tailored to your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Detect and address gait disorders
• Discover hidden musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that causes pain or impacts movement health
• Evaluate and monitor treatment outcomes
• Prevent and recover from injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Choose footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Matson, MO, our team of physical therapists base our practice on one thing: positive patient outcomes. If you’re wondering if gait analysis would be beneficial for you, call the Axes’ location closest to you or make 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 assessment 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 multitude of factors – strength, flexibility, coordination, vision, the vestibular system – gait analysis can provide a valuable look at what may be keeping you from living the life you want.

In a gait analysis appointment, your Axes physical therapist in Matson, 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 Matson, MO physical therapist can tailor your treatment and help you get back to the things you love most.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Matson, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it offers crucial insights to your physical therapist about your motion, allowing them to offer more targeted and personalized care. As such, gait analysis can be advantageous for a wide range of people in Matson, MO:

• Athletes seeking a competitive advantage — Correct form becomes vital at the highest level of sports. 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 back from an ACL tear or other sports injury, gait analysis can be used to monitor how your recovery’s going and ensure that your body is recovering and building strength properly.
• Anyone else recovering from injury — Whether you were injured on the job, involved in a car accident, or need post-surgical therapy, you don’t have to be an athlete to experience positives from gait analysis in aiding your healing 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 suitable footwear, which, coupled with other 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 mobility health, as well as causing phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices specifically designed to your body and lifestyle. It can additionally help you in adapting to your new device and optimizing its performance and convenience.
• Those suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other conditions can greatly influence our everyday lives and movement health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to monitor disease progression, assess treatment effectiveness, and guide rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies naturally 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 offer support in finding ways to lessen pressure on painful joints, reduce injury risks, and assess the cognitive and motor aspects of mobility health.

No matter the reason you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s working to finally run that marathon or just enjoy your day-to-day life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed physical and occupational therapists in Matson, MO will apply gait analysis to customize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in getting back to the activities you enjoy.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are commonly two major types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this technique entails a physical therapist personally watching your gait in real time and through video recordings. It allows the physical therapist to acquire a overall assessment of your mobility health and effortlessly spot any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis depends on the clinical expertise 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 provide objective, quantifiable data regarding your gait. By using precise numerical values, it allows more in-depth analysis and monitoring of your improvement over time.

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

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Matson, MO

At Axes, our primary objective is delivering positive patient outcomes and assisting individuals in returning to what they love most. To accomplish this, we make use of every available tool to support our patients in Matson, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Matson, MO, our experienced physical therapists utilize innovative DorsaVi video motion analysis to offer 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 interprets that algorithmic information into useful information that your physical therapist can review
• During playback, your movements are slowed down to aid a more thorough analysis and examination of your motion
• Your Axes’ physical therapist combines these insights with their clinical observations to recommend efficient, evidence-based treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly monitored over time and evaluated against the average population as well as your prior sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Matson, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to offering our Matson, MO patients with effective, safe, and evidence-backed treatment plans that fit their lifestyles and goals. Gait analysis can be included in your individualized treatment plan:

• To get started, consult your doctor to determine if gait analysis may be advantageous for you, or visit any Axes’ location for a complimentary injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a comprehensive history taking and assessment to understand your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll build a partnership with you and your doctor, integrating the findings of gait analysis into your comprehensive treatment approach, enhancing your movement health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll create personalized treatment plans integrating methodologies that have been validated through research and peer-reviewed studies, ensuring their efficacy.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll help you in selecting appropriate footwear, braces, or other devices, while informing you on maintaining proper posture and enhancing movement health, utilizing insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll employ gait analysis, alongside other measurable information 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, professional knowledge, and innovative technologies at our fingertips, Axes offers a committed team of physical therapists in Matson, MO who are motivated to deliver excellent results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Matson, 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 Matson, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can positively contribute to your overall health and performance, regardless of whether that means soaring down the field or playing with your grandkids without pain. As we are dedicated to offering individualized, evidence-based treatment plans, we are the few clinics in the Matson, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to improve your movement health, call the nearest Axes location or contact us online to find out if gait analysis in Matson, MO is right for you.