Daily in my evaluation of the structure and function of patients that present to my office, the patients can feel something is off. It can feel a little like these Tinker Toys to both patients and new doctors learning the trade. There are so many rules of what is ideal, but patients are typically not seeking to be ideal. They only want their symptoms to feel better, and their bodies to feel more stable or in better alignment.
I am a huge proponent of gait evaluation. During gait evaluation, many of the uniqueness' of an individual can become obvious. As you watch someone walk or run, you will see patterns of function that may be related to symptoms or may be related to great health. When patients come in with a problem, and I watch them walk and/or run, I think they are a bit disappointed when I tell them that they are fine (stable, smooth, efficient). They are looking for answers to their issues, but it can not be found in gait. Other patients come into the office with foot pain, and when I watch them walk, you can tell why their knee or back hurts and how you can help. They had not even mentioned these areas because they were in a Podiatrist's office.
When I teach podiatry students, I always emphasize to walk every patient walk or run as the clues can be literally amazing.
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Thank you very much for leaving a comment. Due to my time restraints, some comments may not be answered.I will answer questions that I feel will help the community as a whole.. I can only answer medical questions in a general form. No specific answers can be given. Please consult a podiatrist, therapist, orthopedist, or sports medicine physician in your area for specific questions.