Can a Chiropractor Help Me Achieve a Proper Walking Gait?

Our spines impact our bodies more than we think. Direct spinal trauma affects many joints in the body. Even poor posture and prolonged sitting can have adverse long-term effects.

Achieving a proper walking gait becomes difficult as we age. With time, our bodies begin to have a limited range of motion due to medical conditions like arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis.

The joints in our bodies contain receptors. These receptors send tiny messages throughout our bodies. They inform our brain and spinal cord which joints to move. Impacted gaits impact these receptors and disrupt their flow.

Disrupted receptors challenge the connection between our spinal cord and lower limbs. As a result, your gait suffers from balance and movement issues. These can worsen in response to mechanical disorders such as:

• Spinal stenosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Intervertebral disc bulges

Chiropractic care can alleviate these issues. Chiropractors address the initial cause and treat additional concerns with safe and non-invasive treatment options.

The Process for Treatment

First, the chiropractor conducts an examination. Musculoskeletal pain requires a range of motion study to measure how far you can stretch a joint or muscle. An inflamed joint limits your mobility and causes stiffness.

Some chiropractors also use paraspinal thermography. This technology detects tests for subluxation, a partial dislocation that alters your gait cycle. Subluxation sometimes results in extreme pain when you bend your joint.

Next comes a postural assessment. The postural analysis includes observing your posture and body alignment. Any abnormalities prevent correct posture, raising the risk of injury.

Chiropractors and physical therapists alike offer sound medical advice. Although there is a difference between chiropractic care and physical therapy, both reestablish balance and mobility. The latter also has several options to improve the gait cycle. Gait training retrains you in stepping, walking, and lifting your legs.

Chiropractic and physical therapies stress the importance of personal goals, such as maintaining a consistent number of daily steps. Making sure you always engage your core is another common goal. Brandon Physical Therapy by Brandon Chiropractic Associates offers numerous other plans and treatments. 

Additional Support

You can perform various exercises at home, too! For example, ankle dorsiflexion stretching assists in improving motion. While sitting, cross one leg over the other. Place your hand on the sole of your foot, heel to toe. Extend your foot upward, down again. Repeat this sequence until you can do it without your hand.

Treatments for mobility and coordination don’t have to be difficult, and spinal pain and limb discomfort don’t need to last forever. Our therapy helps give you a positive long-term outcome. Learn how often you should see your chiropractor for treatment by scheduling a consultation today to work toward a proper walking gait.