Gait Therapy-An Excellent Way to Deal with your Pain

The walking technique has a significant role in your well being because it manages the stress distribution while walking to all the joints below your waist. People often presume that a previous injury or problem is the reason for the pain in their legs. They fail to recognise the fact that their improper walking gait is responsible for the strain on the affected areas.

Majority of people wrongly believe that they have been walking all through their lives, therefore there is no need to learn how to walk again after an injury. What they need to understand here is the unfortunately, a number of spine injuries and lower extremities have an adverse effect on walking mechanics.

If neglected and not corrected with proper physical therapy and effective fitness training, the situation can ultimately result in additional disability. No matter with or without an injury, walking mechanics or gait, often deteriorates with age. This happens not due to age, but because of the bones that become weaker.

What is gait?

The manner or technique of walking, running or stepping is known as gait. It can also be described as a sequence of alternating, rhythmical movements of the limbs and trunk which leads to progression in the forward direction of the body. A series of "controlled falls" is another way to define gait.

How do we evaluate gait?

A Physio will observe the patients visually while they are on a treadmill or moving up and down in a straight path. A treadmill helps a Physio to control the speed and then have a close observation of the walking style. If the Physio will find it necessary, then a video can also be recorded of the whole walking/running session. This video is then analysed later by repeating, slowing down and reversing to get a detailed assessment of the gait.

Symmetry of the gait cycle, walking base, cadence, length, step and stride are few things that are analysed by Physios during evaluation of gait. Analysing symmetry is considered as an important part of the whole assessment process. The movement made by one side of the body should be identical with the other half of the body. Step length, foot placement, foot impact and arm swing should be in a similar right vs. Left movement.

Usually, weakness and injuries may lead to heavier impact of the opposite side of the body, but this might not be the case always. On an average 10-15,000 steps are taken by a human being every day. By increasing the impact on a foot with a force of around 10 lbs for each step, this can put up a lot of stress on the leg.

Foot placement is another common gait deviation. If a person is unable to control where the foot is landing like turned out/in or too close to the other leg, then there might be an occurrence of hip muscle weakness or neurological issues.

If you are having trouble with your gait, then it can be treated with the help of a Physio. St Leonards and North Shore are the places where you can find an expert Physio.

Anna Jane Physio North Sydney has more than 18 years of experiance as a physiotherapist. She has served as team physio to the Australian Freestyle Ski Team.