Gait Analysis – An Overview

Gait analysis is a popular diagnostic tool for patients especially athletes and those with lower back, pelvic and hip pain.

By analyzing how patients move, run, and walk, Dr. Josh and his team are able to determine postural imbalances, arthritis, joint and muscle issues, biomechanical complications and abnormalities in the gait cycle – improper walking or running techniques.

By analyzing how a patient’s foot connects with the floor, the way their body is held, and the manner of movement along with history of injury, our team is able to accurately pinpoint other areas of concern for potential injury or imbalance.

Certain imbalances are corrected with chiropractic manipulations, stretching and neuromuscular re-education – some are aided by orthopedic inserts or specialized shoes.

Gait analysis allows postural imbalances to be diagnosed, assessed and treated accordingly, as well as diagnosing overpronation and underpronation.

Overpronation

Overpronation is the most common problematic pronation and it affects nearly 70% of the population.

This is the inward rolling of the ankle, when walking or running, which causes a transfer of weight to the inner edge of the foot instead of the desired ball of the foot.

This type of pronation, which is often experienced in patients with low arches or flat feet, increases the likelihood of experiencing injuries like shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and heel spurs – all of which are painful and debilitating issues.

Underpronation

Underpronation, also known as supination, is the opposite of overpronation in that the ankle rolls outward as the foot connects with the ground.

This type of foot strike, often seen in patients with higher arches, causes higher levels of shock to resonate through the lower leg and joints.

The effects of underpronation include sore bones, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain and the potential for ankle injuries, such as sprain or fracture.

This pronation also tends to lead to inflammation in the ankles and knees, as the impact of the step is much harsher and forces more shock absorption.

Neutral Pronation

Our goal is to educate patients on the type of pronation they experience and help them achieve the most neutral pronation possible – through orthopedic corrections, chiropractic manipulations or neuromuscular re-education.

In neutral pronation, patients are far less likely to incur injuries, especially those related to repetitive motions or physical activity.

Runners, walkers and those with lower back and lower body pain especially stand to benefit from gait analysis to ensure they are aware of their potential issues and can prevent further injury.

Gait – Your Unique “Fingerprint”

When imbalance in a patients’ gait goes unnoticed, or untreated, it may exacerbate an acute injury and even escalate it to a chronic injury that causes lifelong complications and pain.

Gait analysis allows the diagnosis of problems in the structural components of the body, including postural abnormalities and improper articulation of the foot, knee, hip and pelvis.

Catching these issues when they arise is paramount to preventing future pain and injury, allowing patients’ to maintain healthy lives full of activity.

When we don’t understand how the body works, it is easy to sustain injuries by accident, and because every body works differently, its important to understand your unique gait to know how it’s influencing your overall health and comfort.

Using gait analysis provides one more tool for patients to understand themselves, and once we have the proper knowledge about our own personal form and function, we are at lower risk for injury.

On-The-Spot-Analysis – Instant Results

Gait analysis is a quick, pain-free, non-invasive procedure that entails having the patient walk or run while their feet and legs are being observed and/or filmed in slow motion.

The speed at which the test is performed depends on the patient, and it will never be at an uncomfortable level, or one that causes pain.

This analysis is done on the spot, and does not require any information to be sent away, so you’ll know instantly if there are any abnormalities in your gait.

This knowledge is not only diagnostic in that it points to or rules out specifics, but it also helps doctors and patients prepare treatment to correct the problematic issues, preventing further injury before it arises.

Walk Better, Feel Better, Now

At Core 1 Chiropractic we work as team to treat and learn together, and we want to help you discover more about your gait, and your natural pronation so schedule your assessment today to ensure you’re not unwittingly subjecting yourself to future and secondary injury.

We would love to ensure your physical abilities are not compromised, that your recovery is as successful as possible, and that we all understand your unique situation to the best of our ability.