Does a physiotherapy perform gait analysis?

Gait analysis is a movement assessment rather than a diagnosis on its own. The physiotherapist may watch your posture, step length, foot placement, joint alignment, arm movement and the way your weight shifts. They may compare walking speeds, turns, stairs or a sport-specific task, and examine strength and joint mobility. Some clinics use video or a treadmill, while a careful visual assessment may be enough for the question being explored. Findings can help connect a walking pattern with pain, weakness, stiffness, balance difficulty or recovery after injury.

Wear comfortable clothing and the shoes you normally use for walking or running. Bring your walking aid if you use one, and describe when symptoms appear: at the first step, after distance, on stairs, during turns or during sport. Follow the therapist's instructions about pace and surface; do not change your natural pattern to impress the assessor. The result may guide exercises for strength, control, mobility or balance, or suggest that footwear and an aid need review. Gait analysis is most useful when paired with your symptoms and physical examination.

Seek prompt medical assessment for a sudden new change in walking, new one-sided weakness, loss of sensation, severe pain after an injury, inability to bear weight, or loss of bladder or bowel control with back symptoms. During an assessment, stop and tell the therapist if you feel faint, develop chest pain or become unusually short of breath. A gradual limp or recurring pain also deserves review so the cause can be examined.

What part of my walking pattern needs attention? Could weakness, stiffness, pain or balance be affecting it? Would video or treadmill assessment add useful information? Which exercises should I practise, and how will we reassess my movement?