It’s entirely natural and to be expected that we all take walking for granted. It’s something we learn as a very young child and, as such, we don’t give it much of a second thought… until something happens that affects our gait.
What is gait?
Gait is our natural walking pattern, where we move on foot either walking, jogging or running. It can be influenced by age, mood, personality and even sociocultural factors.
If there are issues with gait for any reason, it can lead to an increased risk of falls and injuries, a loss of personal freedom and a noticeable drop in quality of life… so it’s essential that you do address any gait issues as soon as they become apparent.
What is gait re-education?
Quite simply, gait re-education is what we call teaching someone how to walk again. Problems with gait can manifest for a range of different reasons, including stroke, Parkinson’s multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and even more minor injuries like sprains and twists.
Typical gait patterns need muscles and joints to work together efficiently, but this can be compromised and affect muscle strength and range of movement/mobility.
How can physio help with gait?
Your physio will carry out gait analysis, where we review you from the front, side and back as you move, recording on video where necessary so findings can be looked at in slow motion, as well. We may evaluate you while walking and running.
Once we’ve assessed gait, we can then work closely with you to teach you how to normalise it, how to bear weight and how to control the muscles that support and move the hips and legs.
Your treatment programme may also include standing balance exercises, muscle strength training, stretching and the use of auditory and visual stimuli to encourage you to take bigger strides as you walk.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
