Gait Analysis For Joint Health

Health & FitnessMedicine

  • Author Mark Rogers
  • Published September 6, 2010
  • Word count 544

In simple terms, gait analysis is examination and evaluation of the correct stride while walking. While it sounds simple and and ho-hum as far as importance is perceived, just walking , step, speed, etc. can be the deciding factor in all forms of joint and ligament problems. Walking results in you putting your weight on one and then the other leg and foot each and every time you step. Few people realize the relevance of this uncomplicated daily activity, however when you take into consideration what it means to every joint and muscle within your body it assumes an entirely new importance. Increase that by many times for people who make a living that involves walking the entire day and you can see why gait analysis is essential to make certain you aren't damaging your entire body and triggering untold complications to your joints by incorrect walking

Your stride is of remarkable significance to your over-all well-being considering it establishes the distribution of the stress of walking to every part from your hips to your feet. Many people encountering difficulties with their knees, feet and ankles sometimes incorrectly suppose that a previous injury or another working component is to blame for their pains when actually their walking gait is impacted by an issue that causes them to walk in a way that especially puts strain on the impacted joints.

There is no single proper gait as proper gaits come in a diversity of types simply limited by the variety of types and physical attributes. But it's enough to say that generally gate assessment ought to identify these factors:

-In every step, the heel should strike the floor with the bottom of the foot following immediately in a rolling motion, followed by the ball of the foot and toes pulling you to the subsequent step.

-When fully on level terrain the foot should neither be tilted in or out.

-Legs ought to step in a steady, rythmic action with no jerking movements.

-Legs ought to move smoothly in an even stride.

-Knees should be pointed forward turning neither inward or outward.

-Arms should swing rythmically and uniformly backwards and forward to improve balance.

-The physique should sustain good, comfortable (not slouching) posture

How long the individual gait is will be determined by the height of the individual and the length of the legs.

Please note that these are all statements based on walking on level terrain. Somebody who shows a correct gait under these circumstances will likely naturally compensate for unlevel terrain when needed. But the gait that fails to retain the attributes pointed out above will most likely, over time manifest joint difficulties that might be credited to some other reasons. This includes issues with the feet that especially depend on a correct gait. An poor gait may result in corns, calluses, bunions, mallet toes, hammer toes, plantar growths and a variety of other severe and moderate difficulties.

Individuals showing joint, leg and hip problems often look for the origin of those difficulties in more complex and unusual factors, when in fact the most obvious of deficiencies and bad posture or walking habits trigger quite a few of them. Take a look to start with for the simplest remedies before going on to the others.

Posture correction starts with

evaluating several key aspects of every day life and activity. One of

the first effective activities to assess is simple walking by having a

gait analysis performed to determine whether just walking incorrectly

could be causing joint and pain problems.

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