Edmund M. Kosmahl, PT, EdD

Department of Physical Therapy - University of Scranton

Ward, KD: A Comprehensive Study of Gait. In partial completion of the University of Scranton Honors Program requirements, 21 April 1999. Faculty Advisor - Kosmahl E, Faculty Readers - Mattingly G and Grant-Beuttler M. PT489H Honors Project, 1999.

Introduction

As you watch people walk everyday, whether it be in a clinic, on the sidewalk, or in a shopping mall, you see the same pattern repeated time and time again. Hit floor with foot, stand on foot, pick foot up, swing leg to the front, hit floor with foot. Almost everyone walks with this same pattern, with variations resulting from pathology or habit.
Fortunately, we don't have to consciously think through these motions that allow us to walk. For most people, walking is an automatic process. “I want to walk to the refrigerator.” “I want to walk to the grocery store.” We just decide where we are going, and the rest of the job is done with little or no concentration.
For some people however, this automatic process becomes interrupted. Many problems can cause difficulty with walking. As physical therapists, it is often our job to identify and correct these problems. We need to ensure that Mr. Jones can walk around the house so that he can take care of himself while his grown son and daughter-in-law are at work. To identify and correct walking disorders, therapists need a firm grasp of what is involved in normal walking. Armed with this basic information, therapists can proceed to try to identify common gait abnormalities.
The purpose of this monograph is to provide a comprehensive understanding of normal and pathological gait patterns and gait evaluation techniques. A strong understanding of gait and gait analysis is necessary for clinical practice. This monograph will improve understanding of gait and will also serve as a reference tool for the clinic.

Note: This project includes a video tape of patients with gait dysfunction. The monograph and video are cataloged in the Weinberg Memorial Library.