When it comes to chronic lower back pain, most people focus on posture, core strength, or even mattress quality. But what if the way you walk is playing a bigger role than you think?

At Gait Happens, we specialize in helping people understand how their unique walking patterns can affect the entire body - from the feet all the way up to the lower back. Spoiler alert: it's all connected.

Let’s explore why your gait matters, and how improving the way you move can lead to lasting back relief.

What Is a Gait Pattern?

Your gait pattern is the way your body moves when you walk. It includes the timing, rhythm, and coordination of your steps - as well as how your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and pelvis all work together.

Everyone has a unique gait pattern based on their structure, history of injury, and daily habits. Things like long hours at a desk, past ankle sprains, or even the type of shoes you wear can subtly shift how you move over time. And those small shifts can have a big impact.

How Walking Affects Your Lower Back

Your feet are your foundation. When that foundation isn’t functioning well - whether it’s due to stiffness, weakness, or compensation patterns - the rest of your body has to adapt.

The lower back often picks up the slack when:

 ✅ There’s limited mobility in the foot or ankle
✅ One side of the pelvis rotates more than the other during walking
✅ The core isn’t effectively stabilizing during movement
✅ The stride pattern is uneven or imbalanced

Over time, these compensations can lead to overuse, fatigue, and pain in the lower back.

And here’s something we won’t say: having flat feet or high arches is not automatically a problem. It’s how your body moves with those structures that matters most.

What We Look For in a Gait Assessment

During a gait assessment, our clinicians observe how your body moves through each phase of walking. We look at:

 🔹 Foot and ankle mechanics
🔹 Knee and hip alignment
🔹 Pelvis and core stability
🔹 Step length and symmetry
🔹 Movement compensations and inefficiencies

Even subtle patterns like toe gripping, heel whipping, or limited hip extension can offer big clues about why your back might be hurting.

What to Expect from a Gait Happens Virtual Consult

You don’t need to be in pain to benefit from a gait analysis. Many clients come to us simply wanting to move better and feel stronger. But if your lower back has been giving you trouble, this can be a great place to start.

Here’s what our 1:1 virtual consultations include:

 🟢 Detailed Intake - You’ll share your story, goals, symptoms, and past injuries.
🟢 Movement Review – We’ll analyze photos and videos you send in, plus observe you in real-time during our call.
🟢 Footwear Check - We assess your current shoes and make recommendations to support your unique structure and goals.
🟢 Personalized Plan - You’ll receive tailored exercises and mobility strategies based on your specific gait pattern.
🟢 Ongoing Support - With progress check-ins and access to our expert video library, you’re never left guessing.

Why This Approach Works

At Gait Happens, we take a whole-body view of movement. We don’t just look at where the pain is - we look at where it’s coming from.

Our virtual consultations make expert care more accessible, helping you uncover the root cause of discomfort and build a strong foundation for pain-free movement.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been chasing back pain solutions with little success, your feet and walking pattern might be the missing piece. Understanding your gait can unlock new paths to relief and long-term movement confidence.

Pain doesn’t have to be your normal. Let’s take the first step - together.

Gait Happens offers this program/consultation for educational purposes only. The information shared by Gait Happens should not be used for diagnosis, nor should it be considered a replacement for consultation with a health care professional. Gait Happens strongly recommends working with a health care professional for further evaluation and appropriate follow up. If you have questions or concerns about your health, please contact your health care provider. Gait Happens is not responsible for inappropriate interpretation and application of the knowledge, principles, and exercises provided in this program. Further, Gait Happens is not responsible for injury caused or related to the use of the material in this program to the user, the user’s clients, or any other affiliated party. Gait Happens disclaims any liabilities or loss in connection with the exercises and advice in this program. While Gait Happens has endeavored to make sure the information contained in this consult/program is accurate, Gait Happens cannot guarantee the accuracy of such information, and it is provided without warranty or guarantee of any kind.

The consultation package is valid for 6 months from the date of purchase.