Gait Analysis

Have you suffered from these injuries?

• Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome


• Low Back Pain


• Shin Splints


• Plantar Fasciitis


• Achilles Tendonitis


• Patella Tendonitis

Many injuries are caused by poor gait mechanics. If you have suffered any of these injuries OR if you are an athlete trying to stay fit or even get fit, it might be worth it for you to look into gait analysis. This type of analysis will help you determine if there are any modifications that can be made to prevent these injuries from recurring or help heal those you might have currently.

At Austin Family and Sports Chiropractic, we look at patient's shoe wear to see if they supinate, pronate or have a neutral foot strike. Running shoes are usually designed for runners who oversupinate, overpronate or have neutral foot position. It is important to make sure you have the right running shoes for your gait. But, this is just the first part of the puzzle.

Physical therapists often try to correct gait indirectly through strengthening and stretching excercises designed to correct muscle weakness or tightness. This is the second factor. Gait flaws result not just from muscle imbalances but also from ingrained neuromuscular patterns. The good news is that these patterns can be changed with appropriate correction and practice.

However, there are two key limitations of gait retraining. First, "It requires expertise in running mechanics and the etiology of running injuries, " says Irene Davis, Ph.D., Director at the Running Injury Clinic at the University of Delaware. (1)

Getting help from a professional who has the proper training is the key. This doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money on the technology of pressure mapping or 3D measurements. There are several great experts that can help with this in the Austin community, including Dr. Laurie at Austin Family & Sports Chiropractic. We work closely with several PT partners as well as Gilbert Tuhabonye of Glibert's Gazelles to help patients correct their stride, repair damaged tissue, stretch tight or restricted areas and retrain muscle groups.

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Laurie at Austin Family & Sports Chiropractic by calling 512-258-4425 or visiting http://www.austinfamilyandsportschiropractic.com/.

(1) Gait retraining could put an end to your recurrent running injuries By Matt Fitzgerald, Image by Matt Fitzgerald from the August 2004 issue of Runner's World.