As you get older or right after your suffer an injury to the leg or the foot, chances are good that your gait is going to be thrown off. You gait is the way that you walk, meaning how you shift your weight and maintain your balance while you are moving around. It's important to make sure that your gait is not causing you pain or putting stress on parts of the body that aren't able to handle the stress. If you are worried that you are walking differently and are experiencing soreness in areas that were not previously sore, try one of these three ways to improve your gait.

1. Physical Therapy

One way that you will be able to improve your gait is to talk to a physical therapist. A physical therapist will start by watching you walk across the room. He or she will watch for where you are putting your weight, as well as any signs of irregularity in the way that you walk. Once the therapist has discovered where you are having problems, he or she will be able to develop a plan to get you back on track. This plan will include weight training to strengthen the parts of your body that you might be avoiding walking on, as well as assisted walking. Assisted walking is when the therapist touches parts of your leg and adjusts your body in between each step in order to make sure that you are walking in a way that won't damage your body.

2. Camera Gait Training

Another option is to use camera gain training. You take the camera and place it on the ground or on a low stool, so that the camera is able to clearly see your legs. Then, you turn the camera on and walk in front of it by putting one foot in front of the other or walking sideways like a crab. The camera will be able to pick up your movement and analyze it. You can then plug the camera into your computer to see if you are walking correctly. The camera will show you the areas that you need to improve. Using the camera each day will allow you to make sure that you're making progress.

3. Braces

Finally, there are lots of different knee and ankle braces that are designed to force your legs into a certain position and prevent yourself from putting weight on various parts of your leg. If you realize that you are putting too much stress on your knees, you can get a brace that will prevent this from happening. Using braces along with either of the two methods above is a great way to speed up the time it takes for you to correct your gait.

For more information, talk to a doctor or physical therapist who works in rehabilitation services.