Gait Analysis (Biomechanical) & Custom Orthotics in London

What is Gait Analysis & Biomechanical Assessment?

Gait analysis is a detailed and systematic approach to understanding the way you walk or run. It evaluates your body's mechanics, including joint motion, muscle strength, and overall movement patterns. Biomechanical assessment, on the other hand, focuses on the alignment of your musculoskeletal system, including your feet, legs, pelvis, and shoulders, and how these alignments influence the way you move.

At Flawless Feet, our gait analysis involves both a musculoskeletal evaluation and video gait analysis. We use advanced technology to study your range of motion, balance, and muscle strength, allowing us to pinpoint the source of your discomfort. Once we've gathered all the necessary data, we create a personalized treatment plan, which may include custom orthotics, footwear advice, and a rehabilitation program designed to relieve pain and optimize your movement.

What Happens During a Gait Analysis?

At Flawless Feet, we offer a detailed gait analysis as part of your biomechanical assessment. Here’s what you can expect:

1.  Musculoskeletal Evaluation

We begin by evaluating your posture, joint motion, muscle strength, and flexibility. Our specialists will observe and measure the range of motion through the joints, checking for any misalignments in the feet, legs, pelvis, and shoulders.

2.  Range of Motion and Muscle Strength Testing

We test the flexibility and strength of the muscles in your lower limbs. Tight or weak muscles can significantly affect your gait and contribute to pain.

3. Video Gait Analysis

We use video gait analysis to obtain the most accurate diagnosis of your walking and running patterns. You’ll walk or run on a treadmill or across a floor while we record and analyze your movement. This allows us to evaluate aspects like contact and flight time, helping us detect any abnormal gait cycles or movement inefficiencies.

4. Foot Posture Index

We use a Foot Posture Index (FPI) to assess the alignment of your feet. This index helps us identify conditions such as flat feet or high arches that may be contributing to your discomfort.

5. Footwear Assessment

Your footwear plays a key role in your movement. We evaluate the shoes you wear most often to ensure they are providing the right support for your unique foot structure. We may recommend specific shoes or custom orthotics to better support your feet and optimize your gait.

Custom Orthotics: The Key to Pain-Free Movement

Orthotics are custom-made shoe inserts designed to support and correct your foot posture. They help realign the structure of your feet, improving your overall biomechanics and providing relief from pain. If your gait analysis reveals that your foot posture is contributing to your pain, we can prescribe custom orthotics tailored to your individual needs.

Here are some of the key benefits of custom orthotics

• Pain relief
• Custom orthotics alleviate pressure on painful areas, such as the heels or arches, by redistributing the load across your feet.
• Improved posture
• Orthotics realign your foot posture, reducing the strain on your knees, hips, and lower back.
• Support for foot deformities
• If you suffer from conditions like flat feet, bunions, or high arches, orthotics provide targeted support and prevent further deformities.
• Better function
• Orthotics help improve the overall biomechanical function of your feet, making walking and running more efficient and less painful.
• Reduced knee and lower limb stress
• By improving foot alignment, orthotics reduce the stress on your knees and lower limbs, preventing discomfort and injury.

Custom orthotics are a non-invasive, pain-free solution to correct imbalances and restore function. They fit comfortably into your shoes and can significantly reduce pain caused by conditions like plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuromas, shin splints, and knee pain.

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The Benefits of Biomechanical Gait Analysis

By incorporating gait analysis into your treatment plan, we can help you:

• Identify the root cause of chronic pain
• Whether you're suffering from heel pain, knee discomfort, or lower back pain, gait analysis helps us determine the underlying biomechanical issues.
  
• Optimize your movement
• Correcting abnormal gait patterns improves your walking and running mechanics, increasing mobility and reducing fatigue.
• Prevent future injuries
• Addressing gait issues early helps avoid long-term joint or muscle damage, reducing the likelihood of further injuries.
  
• Enhance your overall well-being
• By improving foot function and posture, gait analysis and custom orthotics provide a holistic solution to improve your comfort and mobility.

Do You Suffer from Foot, Ankle, Knee, or Lower Back Pain?

If you're experiencing chronic foot, ankle, knee, or lower back pain, gait analysis may be the solution you're looking for. At Flawless Feet, we specialise in identifying the biomechanical causes of your discomfort and creating a personalized treatment plan, including custom orthotics and rehabilitation exercises.

Our gait analysis services are available in Sydenham, Croydon, and Covent Garden, and are provided by experienced podiatrists and chiropodists in London who are committed to helping you achieve pain-free movement.