Hi Ray - a rehabilitation physical therapist can do a gait analysis - this is not the "cookie cutter" PT they send you to after a hip replacement - think more for complex situations like recovering from trauma. Any department affiliated with an ortho or trauma hospital will know of the right people for you.
You walk on a flat surface, a ramp and stairs and they watch to see if you are favoring one limb, turning a knee or foot, etc. Then they coach you into the best walking posture you can manage - with or without an aid. If you use a cane or walker, they train you on the best use, make sure it is correctly sized and adjusted, even suggest alternatives.
Finally, they give you exercises to practice, and sometimes exercises or stretches to correct imbalances and strengthen your core.
They also had me replace my shoes, which had worn into my unhealthy patterns & ultimately I got new orthotics as well.
I was treated for years for back pain, including specialized PT and injections, until some observant doc x-rayed my hips & I had both of them replaced. I had limped (actually waddled) for so long that I had to relearn how to walk correctly.
I do have arthritis and stenosis (as most do at my age) but if my back hurts now, I know I need to get back to my core exercises and be mindful of how I walk.
Hi, Sue (@sueinmn) (and cc @centre)
Thank you for suggesting that I talk to a rehabilitation physical therapist about gait analysis. I have left a message with a physiatrist who I believe is in the right specialty, either to help me himself or at least to point me in the right direction.
As I may have mentioned in my earlier post, I’m not in a huge hurry. Until the sepsis wound in my foot has healed and my wound doctor gives me the green light to wear shoes again (a few more weeks?), I’ll keep gait analysis in reserve for when I can relearn how to walk correctly.
You mentioned that you had limped for so long that you had to relearn how to walk correctly. I’m afraid that’s my situation, too. Because of the sepsis wound on my foot, I have been going about in socks (weight bearing is OK) for about four months. I know that when I’m back in shoes (with my orthotic inserts), I’m going to need some proper walking coaching.
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)