Gait Training

A person’s gait is a pattern of stepping or walking that is specific to that individual. Gait training is needed to help a specific patient gain proficient and safe ambulation within and outside the home with or without an assistive device. Patients usually require gait training if there is some lower trunk or lower limb dysfunction. This dysfunction is often associated with neurological or orthopedic impairment. Complications that may require gait training include:

• muscle weakness
• deformity
• spasticity (the presence of abnormal involuntary muscular contractions)
• loss of sensation due to injury or disease that results in inaccurate sensory information and unsafe or inefficient motion
• pain in the weight-bearing joints of the lower extremities, which causes distortion of normal gait

This service is aimed towards increasing their stability, balance and ability to safely walk both on flat surfaces as well as negotiating obstacles and uneven surfaces.

Gait training involves strength training, balance and coordination exercises and guided individual exercise.