Treadmill System

• Have the patient walk at a slow speed.
• Observe the parameters of the gait cycle in real time.
• Make left and right comparisons of contact time, flight time, swing, etc.
• As you increase your patient’s speed, note if asymmetries are improving or worsening.
• When maximum efficiency is realized, record asymmetries and the treadmill’s speed.
• This efficient ‘rhythm of gait’ is a good starting point for clinical intervention.
• Footwear, orthotics, conditioning exercises, etc. may be employed to enhance patient symmetry.
   

See also Gait Rhythm