Physical Therapy can help you get back on your feet in Dillsburg, PA!

Have you noticed that you can’t seem to shake that limp ever since rolling your ankle? Do you notice the more your back bothers you, the worse your gait becomes? There are many reasons why we walk differently, most of which can be resolved with physical therapy at Freedom Physical Therapy & Performance in Dillsburg, PA!

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Gait is defined as the pattern of a person’s walking. The ability to walk is often considered an ordinary function by most people. But when walking becomes limited or dysfunctional, the importance and significance are finally appreciated.

Walking requires intricate coordination of the entire musculoskeletal system and involves precise timing and coordination of muscles, joints, and nerves to allow the body to propel forward rhythmically. Our stride varies from person to person due to height, weight, health status, and even based on the culture we grow up in.

Numerous possibilities may cause an abnormal gait. Some common causes are:

  • Joint degeneration/arthritis
  • Neurological conditions (i.e., Parkinson’s, degenerative nerve diseases, stroke, etc.).
  • Vestibular disorders/vertigo
  • Injuries to the spine and/or lower extremity
  • Muscle disorders (i.e., weakness, muscle wasting associated with age)

Nobody wants to feel pain or unsteadiness when walking. Fortunately, the physical therapists at Freedom Physical Therapy & Performance are experts at identifying and treating the common conditions that affect your gait. We will give you the tools to restore your walking ability and get back to doing what you love!

Make an appointment with our Dillsburg, PA office for physical therapy today. Our gait disorders specialty services at Freedom Physical Therapy & Performance can help you improve your quality of life!

What is a gait disorder?

Gait abnormalities are irregular motions or other changes in your walking and running patterns. Relatively minor issues like foot problems or wearing ill-fitting shoes can interfere with our normal gait and potentially lead to dysfunction and become a gait disorder.

Gait disorders are very common in the adult population, with studies reporting over 60% of people over the age of 80 to have a gait disorder. Gait disorders include imbalance, shuffling, frequent falls, staggering, and freezing in place.

Neurological or non-neurological causes can influence our gait. The most common causes include:

Neurological conditions (i.e., sensory or motor impairments)
Orthopedic problems (i.e., osteoarthritis, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, and other skeletal deformities)
Medical conditions (i.e., heart failure, respiratory insufficiency, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, and obesity)
These abnormalities may worsen as you get older, but changes to your gait can happen at any age. Fortunately, our physical therapists are experts at identifying the root cause of your struggles and will address all the factors interfering with your ability to walk normally.

What causes gait disorders?

Underlying medical conditions or orthopedic and neurological issues may cause or worsen a problem with your balance or gait. Fortunately, our Dillsburg, PA physical therapy clinic can help you regain your function and correct your gait.

Here are some common conditions that cause gait problems:

Neurological issues

Numerous neurological conditions can cause gait issues. A brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or a stroke are all possibilities. Some neurological disorders start in childhood, whereas others are related to aging.

The most common conditions affecting children include the following:

Cerebral palsy
Muscular dystrophy
Charcot Marie Tooth disease
Brain tumors
The most common affecting adults include:

Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Stroke
Brain tumor
Parkinson’s disease
Spinal cord compression

At Freedom Physical Therapy & Performance in Dillsburg, PA, our therapists can assess your gait and give you tools and strategies to ensure your safety and restore your function to your maximum potential.

Orthopedic Disorders and Injuries

Osteoarthritis and skeletal deformities/injuries of the lower extremities are the most common reasons for non-neurological gait disorders in adults. A sudden injury, disease, accident, or condition that causes changes to joint range of motion, muscle weakness or avoidance of weight-bearing (aka limping) can disrupt your normal gait and negatively impact your normal functioning.

Orthopedic gait disorders are typically characterized by a limited range of motion, weakness, changes to stride length, cadence, asymmetrical stepping or limping.

Medical Issues

Medical conditions are also associated with changes in gait and an increased risk of injuries related to gait abnormalities.

The most common medical conditions include:

Heart failure
Respiratory insufficiency, including COPD
Peripheral arterial occlusive disease
Peripheral vascular disease
Obesity

Our gait is often negatively affected when our cardiovascular and respiratory systems are impaired. Fortunately, our physical therapists are highly trained in all body systems and how they can impact your gait.