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Walking

Printed From: CyberPT - Your Online Physical Therapy Resource
Category: Patient Forum
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Description: Patients can post questions and experiences about physical therapy in general for discussion.
URL: http://www.cyberpt.com/ptforum/forum_posts.asp?TID=711
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Topic: Walking

Posted By: Ask a PT
Subject: Walking
Date Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 3:32pm

Our user asked: "Hi! I don't have a condition so much as want to avoid one. I got in a conversation the other day with a coworker and realized that neither of us new how to 'walk properly'. For instance I have a bad habit of locking my knee's, he had a bad habbit of landing flat footed. So I went online to find out how to walk without injury and all I can find is stuff for power walking. I just want to know how to walk at a natural speed without destroying my knees and feet. Any suggestions of where I might look or words of wisdom? Thanks so much!"

Ask a PT Response: "Abnormal gait or walking patterns can develop for many reasons ie. weak muscles, leg length discreapncy, decreae flexibility, decrease joint mobility, etc.. Understanding your deficits could help improve your gait mechanics. The following links provides informative material on understanding gait function: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0675/is_1_21/ai_97115853/ - http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0675/is_1_21/ai_97115853/
http://www.baap.org.uk/Whittle_Michael_Gait_Analysis_Overview_BAAP_2006.pdf - http://www.baap.org.uk/Whittle_Michael_Gait_Analysis_Overview_BAAP_2006.pdf . If you are truly concerned about your gait and developing an injury, it may be a good idea to see a PT. Often times some PT's offer free screenings to determine if PT services may be required. I hope this helps."

Replies:

Posted By: ross88online
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 1:36pm

The pattern of how a person walks is called their gait. Many different types of walking abnormalities are produced unconsciously. Most, but not all, are due to some physical condition.

Some walking abnormalities are so characteristic that they have been given descriptive names:

Propulsive gait -- a stooped, rigid posture, with the head and neck bent forward
Scissors gait -- legs flexed slightly at the hips and knees, giving the appearance of crouching, with the knees and thighs hitting or crossing in a scissors-like movement
Spastic gait -- a stiff, foot-dragging walk caused by one-sided, long-term, muscle contraction
Steppage gait -- foot drop where the foot hangs with the toes pointing down, causing the toes to scrape the ground while walking
Waddling gait -- a distinctive duck-like walk that may appear in childhood or later in life

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