Part 1: What Your Walk Says About You — And Why It Matters

Have you ever thought about the way you walk? Probably not — it’s something we all do without thinking. But to a physio, your gait (the way you walk) is like a window into your body’s story.

Your Body Adapts — Until It Doesn’t

The human body is incredibly clever and resilient. When something isn’t quite right — like an old ankle sprain or years sitting at a desk — your body finds ways to adapt so you can keep moving. These clever adaptations will often lead to other compensations in the body. Some parts will work too hard, others not enough- some things become weak, others become overactive. Over time, these inefficiencies lead to discomfort and often pain.

And here’s the important part:

The area that hurts is often not the real problem. It’s usually the victim — not the villain.

For example, your back pain might actually be related to how your foot and shin are slightly rotated, which impacts how your foot hits the ground and absorbs the load. Your neck pain could stem from the position of your pelvis when you sit at your desk. 

Seeing the Big Picture

At your physio appointment, we’re not just interested in where it hurts. We want to understand why it hurts — and what’s driving it. That’s why I am incredibly passionate about starting my detective work by looking at how you move, especially how you walk.

We might film your gait, slow it down, and watch it together. This helps us piece the puzzle together and make sense of what is going on and WHY you are experiencing your symptoms. Often we can identify old injuries just from looking at how you move, and link the ‘story’ of your body together in a way that makes sense. 

So many of us live with pain and stiffness/discomfort that we have written off as ‘normal’ and ‘just us’, but I guarantee that there are biomechanical explanations for WHY you have these symptoms and why you move the way you do. This can often be a lightbulb moment and so validating for many people. Having a clear explanation for your longstanding niggles or multiple seemingly unrelated pains that no one has been able to make sense of. Everything you experience in your body starts to make sense. 

In part 2, we’ll share what we do after we spot those patterns — and how we help you feel stronger, move more efficiently, and understand your body in a whole new way.

About the Author

Emma Martel (Lee) — Consultant Physiotherapist

Emma values the importance of listening to her patients to fully understand their symptoms and treatment goals. Through skilled biomechanical analysis of the whole body, her objective lies not only in treating symptoms but identifying the true origin of the problem and working with her patients to prevent future episodes of pain and injury.

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