The Movement Analysis Laboratory at Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Clinic is pleased to announce that we now offer computerized gait analysis using theF-Scan® in-shoe pressure measurement system! This state-of-the-art system allows us to “see inside the shoe”, giving us a better understanding of how a person’s foot interacts with their footwear, and helping us provide the best, most advanced care in the area.
The F-Scan® is an advanced in-shoe sensor technology that provides detailed, objective information on foot function. It enhances Dr. Barnes’s ability to evaluate, substantiate and document her diagnosis. We simply slip a sensor into the shoe of the patient, link it to our computer, and hit record as the patient walks. It's that easy. Information regarding the pressure and forces acting on your foot is instantly displayed on the computer screen.
The average person takes thousands of steps every day, generating a force equal to several hundred tons on the bottoms of their feet. Everyone walks a little bit differently, distributing this force in their own unique way. For some people, the distribution of force is very uneven. This creates areas of highly concentrated pressure that can cause pain in the foot itself, and can also cause misalignments that lead to pain throughout the lower body.
The F-Scan system helps us find and address the root cause of these problems by clearly quantifying areas of high pressure in a color-coded display. It also provides us with timing and gait parameters we can use to develop optimal treatments for each individual. We can easily share a patient’s test results with them, making it easier to explain diagnoses and treatments.
Who needs Gait Analysis?
The F-Scan® can been used to:
- Screen the diabetic or arthritic foot.
- Observe gait asymmetries.
- Regulate post-surgical weight bearing and pressure distribution.
- Monitor degenerative foot disorders.
- Examine timing of weight transfer and biomechanical function.
- Determine efficacy of functional orthotics.
- Perform pre- and post-surgical evaluations.
- Identify high-risk areas in the neuropathic foot.
The Test...
After the sensors are in place the patient will be asked to walk in a normal fashion and relaxed speed. The length of the walk is only about 30 feet across the room and then back to the starting point. That's it, the test is done and the computer has recorded all the information it needs.
The operator will have the patient sit down and relax while the sensors are removed and the equipment is put aside. The test is complete and you will be asked to wait while the data is analyzed.
The operator will spend about 15 minutes looking over the data and creating some reports, he thenwill go over his basic findings with you.
