What Causes Abnormal Gait?

For many people, walking is an easy and uncomplicated activity. However, the people who fall into this category should not take their ease for granted. Some patients suffer from what is known as abnormal gait, which makes walking a more arduous task than expected. At Island Sports Physical Therapy, our team of experts will work diligently to correct your gait issues. If you are noticing walking difficulties, we recommend going through a regimen of physical therapy in Commack to help get the care you need.   

What is Abnormal Gait?

The word “gait” refers to one’s ability to walk. Abnormal gait occurs when your body is unable to walk without issue. After being diagnosed with this condition, there is a range of outcomes you can face. Some patients will see their gait problems resolve themselves on their own. For others, abnormal gait may be permanent. However, physical therapy in Commack can be used to limit the chances of permanent issues and discomfort from taking place.

Types Of Abnormal Gait 

As previously stated, abnormal gait is an unfortunate circumstance that limits your body’s ability to walk without issue. Something as simple as suffering from a limp will be classified as abnormal gait. However, there are five types of abnormal gait you can be categorized into. These types include:

• Spastic Gait: This gait issue will make a person appear stiff as they walk. It is the result of a person being unable to walk without dragging their feet.

• Scissors Gait: If a person suffers from a leg that bends inward, this is a likely gait problem they will face. Scissors gait takes place when a person’s legs cross or hit each other as they’re walking.

• Steppage Gait: When dealing with steppage gait, a person’s feet point down as they’re walking, often causing their toes to drag against the ground.

• Propulsive Gait: Those living with propulsive gait walk with their head or neck perpetually pushed forward.

• Waddling Gait: The name of this gait abnormality lays out exactly what takes place on people suffering from it. It involves taking small steps while swinging the body side to side.      

Common Causes Of Abnormal Gait

With there being multiple types of abnormal gait you can suffer from, it stands to reason that there are also many causes. Our team at Island Sports Physical Therapy knows this, which is why we offer physical therapy in Commack to help patients recover from the many common causes of this condition. Below is a list of the most prevalent causes:

• Birth defects.
• Broken bones in the legs and feet.
• Arthritis.
• Tendonitis.
• Shin splints.
• Cerebral palsy.
• Strokes.

How Physical Therapy In Commack Will Help

Physical therapy is a treatment method that relies on the use of physical-based activities to promote healing from within. If your condition is being caused by muscle tightness or imbalance, physical therapy in Commack can be used to help eliminate this! By focusing on increasing your strength, flexibility, and range of motion, our physical therapist can help get you back to walking straight and without issue in no time. They may also recommend the use of assistive devices, such as crutches or braces, to help with your movement while you’re still recovering.

Contact Us

Gait abnormalities can quickly drag down your quality of life. To help avoid gait problems stopping you from living life to your fullest potential, be sure to contact our team at Island Sports Physical Therapy. We will provide compassionate and individualized care that will vastly improve the outlook of permanently eliminating your abnormal gait. When you’re looking for physical therapy in Commack, there is no better team than ours in the Long Island area.