Gait Analysis
What is Gait Analysis?
The purpose of gait analysis is to examine your body's mechanical relationships as you walk and run. It isn't just about flat feet - it's about foot rotation, muscle imbalance, pelvic dysfunction and the degree of pronation or supination present during the various stages of the gait cycle.
Analysis involves assessing your joints when you are standing and lying down. Some assessments stop there, but at The Ashgrove Clinic we also assess your movement on a treadmill and use high tech computer systems to assess pressure development as you walk across a force plate. The results are then evaluated and, if correction is necessary, passed to a laboratory for the production of orthotics (insoles for your shoes).
The advantage of our system is that we get a very clear picture of how your feet function as you are actually walking.
Gait Analysis is not just for sportsmen!
- Problems arising from poor gait:
- Foot pain
- Shin splints
- Ilio-tibial band syndrome
- Knee problems
- Hip pain
- Pelvic dysfunction
- Back pain
- Bunions
The average person takes between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day. Uncorrected gait problems are a form of Repetitive Stress Injury - over a period of time, small problems in the foot can lead to larger, more deep seated pains elsewhere.
For example, a common cause of problems is over-pronation. Put simply, this means that you foot may be rolling inwards excessively as it strikes the ground. As it does this, the whole leg twists inwards. A small amount of pronation is normal and necessary, but too much can put a strain on the knee and hip, and may cause tension in the muscles as they try to compensate.
Uncorrected gait problems can mean that other treatment for aches and pains only has temporary effect - if the underlying cause is poor gait, the problem may well recur.
If you're suffering from any of the problems listed in the box, or other problems which seem to be aggravated by walking or running, you may well be a candidate for gait analysis.
How do orthotics work?
There are numerous joints in the foot which can be misaligned or which may not function correctly. Orthotics create a sort of artificial ground surface under the foot to compensate for this, helping prevent excessive movement where necessary and encouraging movement where joints are stuck. This reduces the strain on joints and ligaments, means that muscles work efficiently and enables the brain to receive more accurate feedback from the feet, leading to better control during gait.
