Gait analysis in Womack, MO. Gait analysis, in combination with video motion analysis, is a method used by physical therapists and other healthcare providers to evaluate your movement to offer better care and get you back to the things you like doing most. Whether you’re an athlete dealing with an injury or you’re trying to cope with arthritis, gait analysis can be part of an overall, evidence-backed treatment plan that’s customized for your lifestyle and goals.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Womack, 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 can help you, call the Axes’ location closest to you or request an appointment online 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 understanding how you walk and run, your physical therapist can offer insights into muscle imbalances, injury risks, the progress 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 Womack, 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 Womack, 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 Womack, MO

While gait analysis isn’t a treatment by itself, it offers valuable data to your physical therapist about your movement health, allowing them to offer more focused and personalized treatment. As such, gait analysis can positively impact a wide range of people in Womack, MO:

• Athletes desiring a competitive edge in their sport — Correct form becomes vital at the highest level of sports. Gait analysis allows athletes to improve their form, address muscle 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 track your progress and verify that your body is recovering and building strength adequately.
• Anyone else 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 gain advantages from gait analysis in facilitating your recuperation from injury.
• Runners — Whether you’re just starting out in a beginner running program or you’re a seasoned vet, gait analysis can help you in finding the suitable footwear, which, along with further insights from gait analysis, can improve your speed, conserve energy, and lower the chance of injury.
• Amputees — Having a limb removed can significantly interrupt your movement health, as well as resulting in 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 adapting to your new device and maximizing its performance and convenience.
• People with neurological conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, and various conditions can profoundly influence our everyday lives and movement health. Gait analysis enables healthcare professionals to track disease progression, judge treatment effectiveness, and shape rehabilitation strategies.
• Older adults — Our bodies inevitably lose strength as we age. This can result in an elevated risk of falling for older adults, as well as degenerative conditions like tendonitis and arthritis. Gait analysis can provide assistance in identifying ways to lessen pressure on aching joints, minimize injury risks, and evaluate the cognitive and motor facets of movement health.

Regardless of why you’re seeking out physical therapy, whether it’s working to ultimately run that marathon or simply enjoy your day-to-day life without discomfort, Axes’ licensed therapists in Womack, MO will employ gait analysis to personalize your treatment, optimize your care, and assist you in returning to the activities you enjoy.

Two Types of Gait Analysis

There are generally two main types of gait analysis:

1. Qualitative gait analysis — Also known as clinical gait analysis, this method entails a physical therapist personally watching your gait in real time and through video recordings. It enables the physical therapist to gain a overall overview of your movement health and effortlessly spot any apparent patterns. Qualitative gait analysis depends on the professional judgment of the therapist to reach conclusions.
2. Quantitative gait analysis — Also known as instrument-assisted gait analysis, this method employs specialized technology, including sensors and motion capture software, to offer objective, quantifiable data concerning your gait. By employing precise numerical values, it enables greater detailed analysis and monitoring 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 Womack, MO has the capabilities and expertise to tailor our gait analysis services to meet your individual needs.

Axes’ DorsaVi Video Motion Analysis in Womack, MO

At Axes, our main focus is achieving positive patient outcomes and assisting individuals in returning to their cherished activities. To accomplish this, we employ every available tool that can help our patients in Womack, MO. When conducting gait analysis in Womack, MO, our highly skilled physical therapists utilize advanced DorsaVi video motion analysis to provide combined qualitative and quantitative analysis.

With DorsaVi video motion analysis:

• Sensors are attached to your body that track your motion, muscle activity, and static postures
• DorsaVi’s software translates that hard data into useful information that your physical therapist can examine
• During playback, your movements are slowed down to aid a more detailed analysis and breakdown of your motion
• Your Axes’ physical therapist integrates these insights with their clinical observations to recommend effective, evidence-based treatment modalities
• Your progress is regularly monitored over time and evaluated against the typical population as well as your previous sessions

Axes’ Approach to Gait Analysis in Womack, MO

Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to providing our Womack, MO patients with successful, safe, and research-supported treatment plans that align with their daily lives and goals. Gait analysis can be incorporated into your customized treatment plan:

• To get started, ask your doctor if gait analysis might be helpful for you, or come to any Axes’ location for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening.
• We’ll carry out a comprehensive patient interview and assessment to understand your goals, preferences, and health background.
• We’ll create a partnership with you and your doctor, including the insights from gait analysis into your holistic treatment approach, improving 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 effectiveness.
• In addition to providing physical therapy exercises, we’ll assist you in choosing suitable footwear, braces, or other devices, while informing you on maintaining proper posture and improving movement health, drawing on insights obtained from gait analysis.
• We’ll use gait analysis, together with other quantitative data and indicators, to continuously evaluate your growth and modify your treatment plan accordingly.

Axes delivers far more than simply a series of exercises to check off. With decades of combined experience, clinical expertise, and innovative technologies at our fingertips, Axes provides a committed team of physical therapists in Womack, MO who are determined to deliver the best results in your treatment.

Other services we offer in Womack, 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 Womack, MO Today

Gait analysis is an invaluable tool that can positively enhance your overall well-being and performance, whether that involves soaring down the court or climbing stairs without discomfort. As we are committed to providing personalized treatment plans that are proven to work, we are the limited number of clinics in the Womack, MO area that offer video motion analysis. If you want to optimize your movement health, contact the nearest Axes location or contact us online to ascertain if gait analysis in Womack, MO is suitable for you.