Gait analysis in Union, MO. Gait analysis, alongside video motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare practitioners to examine your movement to offer personalized therapy and return you to the things you like doing most. 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 therapy program that’s personalized for your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Diagnose and treat gait disorders
• Find out underlying musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that causes pain or influences movement health
• Measure and follow treatment outcomes
• Prevent and rehab injuries
• Prescribe orthotic or prosthetic devices
• Choose footwear that’s comfortable and helps prevent injuries

At Axes Physical Therapy in Union, MO, our staff of physical therapists are devoted to one thing: positive patient outcomes. If you’re curious if gait analysis would be beneficial 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 carried out by professional physical therapists, gait analysis is an assessment 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 result of a variety 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 Union, 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 Union, MO physical therapist can customize your treatment and help you get the most rewards for your movement health and fitness.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Union, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it offers valuable information to your physical therapist about your mobility, allowing them to offer more targeted and customized approach. As such, gait analysis can positively impact a wide range of people in Union, MO:

• Athletes searching for a competitive advantage — Proper form becomes essential at the zenith of athletic competition. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, identify strength imbalances and range of motion limitations, and prevent injury.
• Athletes recuperating 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 verify that your body is healing and developing strength correctly.
• Others recovering from injury — Whether you were injured at work, in a slip and fall, or had to get surgery, you don’t have to be an athlete to gain advantages from gait analysis in aiding your recuperation 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 finding the right footwear, which, along with additional insights from gait analysis, can enhance your speed, preserve energy, and minimize the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can significantly interrupt your mobility health, along with causing phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices tailored to your body and lifestyle. It can furthermore 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 profoundly affect our day-to-day lives and movement health. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to observe disease progression, judge treatment effectiveness, and guide rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies naturally lose strength as we age. This may lead to an increased risk of falling for older adults, in addition to degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can provide assistance in finding ways to lessen pressure on sore joints, reduce injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor aspects of mobility health.

Regardless of why you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s striving to finally run that marathon or simply engage in your day-to-day life without pain, Axes’ licensed physical and occupational therapists in Union, MO will utilize gait analysis to customize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in returning to the experiences you enjoy.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are typically two primary types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this approach entails a physical therapist directly watching your gait in real time and via video recordings. It allows the physical therapist to gain a general overview of your movement health and effortlessly spot any noticeable patterns. Qualitative gait analysis utilizes the professional judgment of the therapist to reach conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this method employs specific technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to provide objective, measurable data concerning your gait. By employing precise numerical values, it enables greater detailed analysis and tracking of your progress over time.

Both qualitative and instrument-assisted gait analysis are suitable in the right situations and with specific patients. At Axes, our team in Union, MO possesses the ability and knowledge to tailor our gait analysis services to meet your particular needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Union, MO

At Axes, our main aim is delivering positive patient outcomes and helping individuals in returning to what they love most. To accomplish this, we make use of every available tool that can help our patients in Union, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Union, MO, our experienced physical therapists employ advanced DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are positioned on your body that monitor your motion, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software converts that algorithmic information into useful information that your physical therapist can examine
• During video replay, your movements are slowed down to aid a more comprehensive analysis and examination of your movement
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their clinical observations to recommend effective, evidence-based treatment modalities
• Your progress is continuously tracked over time and evaluated against the normal population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Union, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is committed to offering our Union, MO patients with effective, safe, and scientifically validated treatment plans that suit their lifestyles and objectives. Gait analysis can be included in your personalized treatment plan:

• To begin the process, consult your doctor to assess if gait analysis could be helpful for you, or visit any Axes’ location for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a comprehensive history taking and assessment to gain insight into your goals, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll create a partnership with you and your doctor, integrating the findings of gait analysis into your all-encompassing treatment approach, improving your mobility health, and promoting overall wellness.
• We’ll develop personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been confirmed through research and scholarly studies, ensuring their success.
• In addition to offering physical therapy exercises, we’ll assist you in selecting proper footwear, braces, or alternative devices, while educating you on maintaining proper posture and optimizing movement health, drawing on insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll utilize gait analysis, together with other quantitative information and markers, to constantly evaluate your progress and adapt your treatment plan accordingly.

Axes delivers far more than just a series of exercises to check off. With decades of combined experience, professional knowledge, and innovative technologies at our fingertips, Axes offers a specialized team of physical therapists in Union, MO who are motivated to provide optimal results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Union, 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 Union, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can significantly enhance your overall health and movement health, regardless of whether that means soaring down the court or playing with your grandkids without pain. As we are dedicated to offering customized, evidence-based treatment plans, we’re among the limited number of clinics in the Union, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to optimize your movement health, get in touch with the nearest Axes location or contact us online to determine if gait analysis in Union, MO is appropriate for you.