Gait analysis in Parkdale, MO. Gait analysis, also referred to as motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare practitioners to assess your mobility to offer personalized therapy and return you to the activities you love. Whether you’re an athlete healing 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 personalized for your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Identify and manage gait disorders
• Find out hidden musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that causes pain or affects movement health
• Assess and track treatment outcomes
• Prevent and rehabilitate injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Choose footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Parkdale, MO, our team of physical therapists base our practice on one thing: getting you back to what you enjoy most. If you’re wondering if gait analysis is right for you, call the Axes’ location nearest you or schedule an appointment through our website to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When performed 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 status of injury recovery, and more. Because our gaits our the product of a combination 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 Parkdale, 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 Parkdale, MO physical therapist can personalize your treatment and help you get the most benefit for your movement health and fitness.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Parkdale, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a healing method in and of itself, it provides essential insights to your physical therapist about your motion, allowing them to offer more focused and customized care. As such, gait analysis can positively impact a wide range of people in Parkdale, MO:

• Athletes desiring a competitive edge — Proper form becomes increasingly important at the highest level of sports. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, identify muscle imbalances and limited range of motion, and prevent injury.
• Athletes recovering from injury — If you’re coming off 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 developing strength adequately.
• Anyone else recovering from injury — Whether you were injured at work, involved in a car accident, or need post-surgical therapy, you don’t have to be an athlete to experience advantages from gait analysis in aiding 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 assist you in identifying the right footwear, which, coupled with further insights from gait analysis, can improve your speed, save energy, and lower the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can drastically impede your movement health, along with 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 also assist you in acclimating to your new device and optimizing its function and comfort.
• People with neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can profoundly affect our daily lives and movement health. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to observe disease progression, judge treatment effectiveness, and direct rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies naturally weaken as we age. This can result in an increased risk of falling for older adults, along with degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can be beneficial in finding ways to lessen pressure on aching joints, mitigate injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor aspects of mobility health.

No matter why you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s working to ultimately run that marathon or just enjoy your daily life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed therapists in Parkdale, MO will employ gait analysis to customize your treatment, optimize your care, and help you in getting back to the pursuits you love.

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 personally observing your gait in real time and via video recordings. It allows the physical therapist to gain a general assessment of your movement health and easily spot any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis depends on the clinical expertise of the therapist to make assessments.
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 employing precise numerical values, it enables greater thorough analysis and monitoring of your progress over a period of time.

Both clinical and quantitative gait analysis are appropriate in the right circumstances and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Parkdale, MO possesses the ability and expertise to tailor our gait analysis services to address your individual needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Parkdale, 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 make use of every possible tool that can help our patients in Parkdale, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Parkdale, MO, our experienced physical therapists employ innovative DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are attached to your body that record your motion, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software translates that algorithmic information into valuable information that your physical therapist can review
• During playback, your movements are slowed down to enable a more detailed analysis and breakdown of your motion
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their clinical observations to recommend efficient, proven treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly tracked over time and evaluated against the average population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Parkdale, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to delivering our Parkdale, MO patients with effective, safe, and scientifically validated treatment plans that align with their lifestyles and objectives. Gait analysis can be part of your customized treatment plan:

• To begin the process, ask your doctor if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or come to any Axes’ location for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a thorough history taking and physical examination to gain insight into your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll form a team with you and your doctor, including the results of gait analysis into your holistic treatment approach, enhancing your movement health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll develop personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been confirmed through research and peer-reviewed studies, ensuring their success.
• In addition to offering physical therapy exercises, we’ll support you in selecting proper footwear, braces, or other devices, while educating 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 information and indicators, to continuously assess your progress and modify your treatment plan accordingly.

Axes delivers far more than just a list of exercises to complete. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and cutting-edge technologies at our fingertips, Axes provides a committed team of physical therapists in Parkdale, MO who are driven to provide the best results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Parkdale, 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 Parkdale, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can positively improve your overall well-being and movement health, regardless of whether that involves soaring down the court or going up stairs without pain. As we are dedicated to providing customized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are the limited number of clinics in the Parkdale, MO area that provide video motion analysis. If you want to enhance your movement health, call the nearest Axes location or contact us online to ascertain if gait analysis in Parkdale, MO is suitable for you.