What is a Functional Gait Assessment? An Overview

At Gait Happens we have a saying... Gait Assessment takes you to the stadium, not to the seat.  It is a window to an individuals' movement, that when done correctly, can further guide assessment.

Functional gait analysis is a crucial procedure for assessing a person's running or walking gaits — it is a test that at its core was developed in order to detect abnormalities in a person’s walk, jog, run, skip, etc. The test then was adopted by the sport world since it could unearth invaluable insight into an athlete’s performance and how they can improve it. It can primarily help identify any dysfunctions or anomalies in a person's movement patterns and provide instructions on how to improve mobility and reduce the risk of injury.

In this article, we will thoroughly explain functional gait analysis to readers and discuss its importance and applications.

What is Functional Gait Assessment?

Functional gait assessment is an offshoot and much more detailed form gait analysis that considers a person's running or walking patterns in light of their demands. This indicates that the assessment takes into account the individual's specific needs and goals in addition to any challenges they might face when walking or running. The examination often entails watching the subject's gait, balance, and movement patterns as well as using specialized equipment and methods to gauge the subject's joint mobility, stride length, and foot placement.

Importance of functional gait assessment in various situations 

Unlike other gait analyses, the real value of functional is that it looks at the person not just as a collective but as an individual — wants with needs and demands. It factors in not only their age, physical limitations, or genetic predisposition but what they require of their gait. For example, it takes into account a person’s hobby, passion, and/or career.  The exigencies, and desires, of a basketball player, differ wildly from those of a long-distance runner – as well as those from a high-school teacher. 

It is an in-depth, incredibly detailed look at a person’s gait – calculating the minutiae of their life and what they require in order to get the best out of their gait. 

Injury prevention and recovery

Functional gait assessment can help identify areas of weakness, imbalance, or inefficient movement patterns that may increase the risk of injury. Early detection of these problems allows one to take action to address them. There will be fewer accidents overall as a result. Functional gait assessment can also be used to determine whether it is safe to restart physical activity after an injury and to track the healing process.

Increasing athletic performance

Functional gait assessment can help athletes find weak places or inefficiencies in their movement patterns, so they can develop better and more effective movement techniques. Performance can be improved, and as a result, injury risk can be reduced.

Resolving movement disorders and enhancing mobility

Functional gait assessment can be used to identify movement dysfunctions that may be causing pain, discomfort, or limited mobility. Once identified, targeted interventions can be implemented to improve movement patterns and reduce pain or discomfort.

Who Can Benefit from a Functional Gait Assessment?

By examining the body's movements during walking, medical professionals and consultants can leverage functional gait analysis and provide valuable information on a patient's biomechanics, muscle function, and gait patterns. Looking at their whole rhythm and physical constitution from all angles, from the macro to the micro. This highly detailed information can be used to develop personalized treatment plans that improve the patient's mobility and overall quality of life — it can be employed to tweak certain aspects of their gait. For example, for long-distance runners and Olympic athletes, this type of analysis can be employed not only for training purposes - giving them critical information on other types of exercise they have to incorporate into the routine in order to get better - but for selecting their equipment — from what type of shoes they need, to custom made soles. 

In this section, we will explore the ways in which functional gait analysis can benefit patients, including improving walking efficiency, reducing pain and discomfort, preventing injuries, and optimizing the use of assistive devices.

Runners and athletes

Runners and athletes can benefit from functional gait assessments to identify areas of weakness or inefficiency in their movement patterns that may be limiting their performance or increasing their risk of injury.

Individuals with chronic pain or mobility issues

Individuals with chronic pain or mobility issues can benefit from functional gait assessments to identify any underlying movement dysfunctions that may be contributing to their symptoms. Once identified, targeted interventions can be implemented to improve movement patterns and reduce pain or discomfort.

Patients recovering from injury or surgery

Patients recovering from injury or surgery can benefit from functional gait assessments to monitor their progress and determine when it is safe to return to physical activity.

People seeking to improve posture and overall movement

Anyone who is looking to improve their posture or overall movement patterns can benefit from a functional gait assessment. The assessment can pinpoint any areas of weakness or inefficiency or possible improvement in their movement patterns, allowing them to develop more effective and dynamic movement strategies.

Step-by-step guide of functional gait assessment 

Now, let’s look into what this test actually entails and what metrics and data points an examiner will be taking into account when drafting their report. 

Observation of gait

The evaluator will first and foremost observe the individual’s walking or running patterns, looking for any obvious abnormalities or inefficiencies. 

Analysis of joint motion

The evaluator will assess the range of motion of the individual's joints, looking for any limitations or imbalances.

Muscle strength testing

The evaluator will assess the strength of the individual's muscles, looking for any weaknesses or imbalances.

Functional movement testing

The examiner will focus on and analyze the individual's ability to perform functional movements, such as squatting or lunging, looking for any limitations or compensations.

Instrumented gait analysis  - optional

In some cases, further testing with much more cutting-edge tools may be employed — for example, an instrumented gait analysis may be used to provide an even more detailed holistic view on the person’s gait patterns.

Benefits of Functional Gait Assessment

• By identifying areas of weakness or inefficiency in an individual's movement patterns, a functional gait assessment can help prevent future injuries.
• Increase sports performance by helping athletes develop safer, more efficient, and more effective movement patterns.
• By identifying underlying movement dysfunctions, it can help in the reduction of pain or discomfort.
• Mobility improvements are possible with targeted therapy, depending on the results of a functional gait assessment.
• It aids in detecting any inefficient or weak regions of a person's movement styles that can be causing poor posture.

My name is Wojtek and I am very happy that you came to my healthy lifestyle blog. In human life, health is probably the most important factor needed for happiness, so I thought I will make a contribution to this and try to promote healthy eating and sport.

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