Samuel Merritt University Lecture on Gait Evaluation 9/18/11

        First of all, why do we perform gait evaluation on patients???

What are we looking at when we watch someone walk or run?

Where do we start? How about the Head and work our way down?

A Basic Checklist to use while watching someone walk or run follows.

[ ] Head Tilt

[ ] Shoulder Drop

[ ] Asymmetrical Arm Swing

[ ] Limb Dominance

[ ] One Hip Higher and Low Back Structure

[ ] Asymmetrical Hip Motion

[ ] Asymmetrical Knee Motion

[ ] Smoothness of Weight Transfer

[ ] Signs of Poor Shock Absorption

[ ] Heel Lift Issues

[ ] Apropulsive Push Off

[ ] Digital Clawing

[ ] Angle of Gait Asymmetry

[ ] Angle of Gait Position

[ ] Summary Right Side

[ ] Summary Left Side

http://www.drblakeshealingsole.com/2011/09/checklist-basic-gait-evaluation.html

And Here is Tiffany again who introduced me, our star podiatry student, walking barefoot. Again let us start at the Head.

What were our gait findings?

• Slight Head Tilt to the Right
• Little Dominance or Drift to the Left
• Slight Left Shoulder Drop
• Left Arm Swing Greater
• Outwing to Left Hip
• Leads with Left Hip
• Increased Internal Patellar Rotation
• Excessive Supination following Heel Contact left greater than right
• Digital Clawing

Here Tiffany is demonstrating excessive supination on the left side following Heel Strike and dangerous Varus Thrust at the Knee.

Now Tiffany herself will discuss the components of the Orthotic Device designed to prevent this contact phase supination following heel strike.

Here Tiffany demonstrates the elimination of the excessive supination with the above mentioned orthotic corrections.

This short video demonstrates Limb Dominance seen primarily in Short Leg Syndrome with body lean to the long side (80%) and to the short side (20%);

So, let's review the findings in gait evaluation which will give you an excellent idea if their movement can be correlated to their symptoms. But, this time, I will start at the feet and work our way upwards. The Green Areas symbolize normal motion or position.