2023 FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (NUR 211) GAIT TRAINING SIMPLIFIED CLASS NOTES

2023 FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (NUR 211) GAIT TRAINING SIMPLIFIED CLASS NOTES Gait Training For most people, walking just happens with no time spent thinking about how to move the body forward. But for others, usually due to illness, aging, or injury that results in a poor gait, walking can be quite difficult. For instance, a defective gait tends to throw the body off balance, making it hard to keep one foot in front of another and move efficiently. In turn, it becomes more difficult to move from one place to another without frequent tripping, stumbling, or dizzy spells. Then the confidence to navigate challenging terrain fades and mobility is impaired. Gait training refers to helping a patient relearn to walk safely and efficiently. Gait training is usually done by rehabilitation specialists who evaluate the abnormalities in the person's gait and employ such treatments as strengthening and balance training to improve stability and body perception as these pertain to the patient's environment. Gait training often incorporates the use of such assistive devices as parallel bars, walkers, or canes to promote safe and proficient ambulation. In order to walk again without assistance, the patient will need mental attentiveness and adequate sensation, coordinated with adequate musculoskeletal functioning and motor control