Can a chiropractor see the way I walk to diagnose the cause of a limp ? GP and hospital find nothing obvious.?

Question

I am 58 and know of no known trauma to my left leg, although I have developed a limp over the years. I was referred by my GP to a local fracture/orthopaedic clinic at a hospital but all they could say was that the shape of my feet could be causing this. I still think that there must be another cause and have heard that some branch of medicine can analyse how you walk to see whether there is an underlying cause (e.g. back problems). Is this something a Chirpractor could do ? Many thanks

Answer 1

Physical therapists are experts in the analysis of gait. Gait is basically the mechanics of your walking pattern. Abnormal walking patterns, limping, etc can be quite complicated at times. They can be from unequal leg lengths, bony/structural deformities, poor flexibility and/or strength, foot/ankle issues, poor posture, bad habits as well as issues with the cervical spine (neck), the ear, etc. As you can see problems with walking and the mechanics of your walking pattern and a Physical Therapist (PT) would be the best one to evaluate this for you. A PT would then be able to develop a treatment plan to address any findings that were found during your examination.

Answer 2

Yes, a good chiropractor could probably find the underlying cause. Your skeleton is the scaffolding for all your internal organs and how you hold your skeleton will influence whether your internal organs are cramped, distorted, etc. - often digestive conditions can be traced to bad posture. I see a chiropractor on an occasional basis and have found real benefit - I can actually breathe deeper because I have more lung space whcih is because he has adjusted my posture to help me walk more upright.
You have to find a good chiropractor, however - getting recommendations from friends is a good one, or from your doctor. Give it a try - you really don't have anything to lose at this stage and probably an awful lot to gain.
Good luck!

Answer 3

yes, definitely. I've' had trouble for years with my back, neck and shoulders, doctor and hospital could not find the cause. went to chiropractor who then did a thermo scan followed by a series of skeletal x rays which showed what the problems were.
i have now been going to her for a year and things are improving all the time, i am now able to do a lot more than i could before i went to her and am in a lot less pain,
all the doctor did was give me pills and refer me to physio which not only did not work but also made matters worse,
my only regret is that i did not go to see the chiropractor sooner.
good luck and i hope you soon feel better.

Answer 4

A physical therapist is better qualified to do a gait analysis to determine the cause of your limp. They would be the best person to either strengthen muscles that need attention or refer you to a prosthetists for special equipment or to an orthopedic surgeon to fix the problem. Chiropractors are good for bone issues typically. Usually they use xray to diagnose patients.

Answer 5

Probably, Look one up in the yellow pages and ask to speak to one and explain what you have written above, they will tell you if they can help or not. Can be around £40, but if your GP gives you a referal you should get it paid for on the NHS, as the chances are with these places that you have a few sessions, so it all adds up!

Answer 6

a chiropractor may well be able to help, there is a thing called the "Alexander technique" which is devised to correct posture and body shape, a good practitioner will be able to spot your problem and very likely solve it. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

You might find a Chiropodist a better option, they can look at the way you walk and the way you wear your shoes etc. This is called Bio-mechanics and maybe this will help you.