Gait analysis in Washington, MO. Gait analysis, in combination with video motion analysis, is a way physical therapists and other healthcare providers can examine your movement to offer better care and return you to the activities you love. Whether you’re an athlete recovering from an injury or you’re trying to handle chronic pain, gait analysis can be part of an overall, evidence-backed plan of care that’s tailored to your lifestyle and goals.

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

• Diagnose and treat gait disorders
• Uncover underlying musculoskeletal or nerve dysfunction that results in pain or impacts movement health
• Assess and track 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 Washington, MO, our team of physical therapists are dedicated to one thing: getting you back to what you enjoy most. If you’re curious if gait analysis is right for you, call the Axes’ location nearest you or make an appointment through our website to get started with your treatment today.

What Is Gait Analysis?

When performed 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 move, your physical therapist can offer insights into muscle imbalances, injury risks, the status of injury rehabilitation, 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 Washington, 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 Washington, MO physical therapist can customize your treatment and help you achieve the most rewards for your movement health and fitness.

Who Gait Analysis Can Help in Washington, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a therapy in and of itself, it offers valuable data to your physical therapist about your movement health, allowing them to offer more focused and personalized approach. As such, gait analysis can be advantageous for a wide range of people in Washington, MO:

• Athletes seeking a performance boost — Proper form becomes crucial at the zenith of athletic competition. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, address muscle imbalances and range of motion limitations, and prevent injury.
• Athletes healing from injury — If you’re recovering from an ACL tear or other sports injury, gait analysis can be used to track your progress and ensure that your body is healing and developing strength properly.
• Anyone else recovering from injury — Whether you were injured on the job, involved in a car accident, or underwent recent surgery, you don’t have to be an athlete to derive 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 veteran, gait analysis can help you in identifying the appropriate footwear, which, along with other insights from gait analysis, can boost your speed, save energy, and lower the risk of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can significantly interrupt your mobility health, as well as resulting in phantom pain. Gait analysis allows healthcare professionals to design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices customized to your body and lifestyle. It can furthermore support you in acclimating to your new device and optimizing its performance and convenience.
• People suffering from neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other conditions can greatly affect our day-to-day functioning and mobility health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to track disease progression, judge treatment effectiveness, and shape rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inherently weaken as we age. This may lead to an increased risk of falling for older adults, along with degenerative conditions such as tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can offer support in identifying ways to relieve pressure on aching joints, minimize injury risks, and assess the cognitive and motor aspects of movement health.

Regardless of why you’re considering physical therapy, whether it’s striving to finally run that marathon or just enjoy your day-to-day life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed therapists in Washington, MO will apply gait analysis to personalize your treatment, maximize your care, and assist you in returning 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 technique entails a physical therapist directly watching your gait in real time and via video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to gain a broad overview of your mobility health and easily spot any apparent patterns. Qualitative gait analysis utilizes the clinical expertise of the therapist to make assessments.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this method employs advanced technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to offer objective, measurable data about your gait. By utilizing precise numerical values, it allows more thorough analysis and monitoring 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 Washington, MO has the ability and knowledge to tailor our gait analysis services to address your individual needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Washington, 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 available tool that can help our patients in Washington, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Washington, MO, our highly skilled physical therapists utilize state-of-the-art DorsaVi video motion analysis to offer combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

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

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Washington, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to delivering our Washington, MO patients with effective, safe, and research-supported treatment plans that suit their lifestyles and objectives. Gait analysis can be part of your personalized treatment plan:

• To begin the process, 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 perform a comprehensive history taking and physical examination to understand your objectives, preferences, and medical history.
• We’ll form a team with you and your doctor, incorporating the findings of gait analysis into your all-encompassing treatment approach, optimizing your movement health, and promoting overall well-being.
• We’ll develop personalized treatment plans incorporating methodologies that have been confirmed through research and peer-reviewed studies, ensuring their efficacy.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll help you in picking suitable footwear, braces, or other devices, while educating you on maintaining proper posture and optimizing movement health, incorporating insights gained from gait analysis.
• We’ll use gait analysis, together with other measurable information and markers, to constantly assess your growth and adjust your treatment plan as needed.

Axes provides a lot more than simply a series of exercises to tick off. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and cutting-edge technologies at our fingertips, Axes provides a dedicated team of physical therapists in Washington, MO who are determined to provide the best results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Washington, 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 Washington, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can significantly improve your overall health and performance, regardless of whether that means soaring down the court or playing with your grandkids without pain. As we are committed to offering individualized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are the limited number of clinics in the Washington, MO area that provide video motion analysis. If you want to optimize your movement health, call the nearest Axes location or contact us online to ascertain if gait analysis in Washington, MO is right for you.