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Gait assessment in children
Your child’s ‘gait’ is the way they walk. A gait assessment is commonly used in sports biomechanics, to help junior athletes improve their running efficiency and identify movement issues.
What is gait assessment?
How your child walks is important to their general health and development and any issues with their gait can result in injury or may cause musculoskeletal issues that can cause pain as they move into adolescence and adulthood. An expert gait assessment helps to identify early and quickly treat any issues that your child has in order to avoid long-term musculoskeletal problems from developing.
During a gait assessment, our team will observe your child carefully, looking for a walking pattern that might be abnormal, or potentially problematic. They will also ask for a detailed account of their birth, developmental and family history which will help them to gain a greater understanding of the condition. If they assess that there is an issue, they’ll explain what it is and recommend a course of treatment or corrective action.
Which issues can a gait assessment identify?
A wide range of issues can cause issues with your child’s gait. During your child’s gait assessment, your consultant will be looking for common tell-tale signs such as:
- In-toe and out-toe gait
- Knock knees
- Bow legs
- Balance issues and joint laxity or hypermobility
If your child enjoys sport, a gait assessment can also be used to help them improve their running efficiency and identify movement issues that may impact their post work-out recovery.
What happens during a gait assessment?
Your child’s consultant will carry out a general physical check to gauge how well they’re walking for their age. They will record your child’s height, weight and temperature, examine their heart, lung, abdominal function and assess their motor skills.
They will also ask your child to perform a series of tests to observe:
- Their speed, stride and balance as they walk into a room
- How they walk heel-to-toe in a straight line
- How they hop in one place
- How they bend their knee
- How they touch their finger to their nose, assessing their dexterity
If they suspect an underlying issue might be affecting your child’s gait, they may ask for more tests to be arranged such as an MRI scan or X-rays. These will help them to make a formal diagnosis.
Our paediatric orthopaedic consultants
At HCA Healthcare UK, we work as part of a highly-skilled, multidisciplinary team, bringing together leading paediatric surgeons and consultants from a wide range of specialties. A number of our consultants hold prominent positions at London's top teaching hospitals and patients travel across the world to be treated by them.
Out paediatric orthopaedic locations
Our paediatric gait and orthopaedic consultants work at our outpatient centres at The Portland Hospital, the UK’s only private hospital dedicated to the treatment of women and children. Some of our consultants and paediatricians can also be seen at our clinics in Chiswick, Golders Green, Elstree and at The Shard at London Bridge.
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
Urgent Care Centre for Children
234 Great Portland Street W1W 5QT London
Chiswick Outpatients
Bond House 347-353 Chiswick High Road W4 4HS London
Elstree Waterfront Outpatients
The Waterfront Business Park, Beaufort House Elstree Road, Elstree WD6 3BS Hertfordshire
Golders Green Outpatients
Roman House, 296 Golders Green Road Golders Green NW11 9PY London
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.