Overview

One of the most common long-term goals of gait training is community ambulation. However, community ambulation does not consider the presence of abnormal gait patterns or the use of walking aids. A more desirable goal for gait training is achieving normal gait, characterized by normal kinematics, kinetics, speed, and independence from walking aids. While individuals with severe motor impairment or sensory loss may have only a limited chance of regaining normal gait, establishing this long-term goal from the outset of training is absolutely crucial. In fact, focusing on community ambulation as the primary goal may actually hinder the possibility of regaining normal gait and could lead to the adoption of abnormal gait patterns (including the use of walking aids), which may impede the restoration of normal gait. To achieve (near) normal gait, learned nonuse of the affected lower limb must be prevented, and abnormal gait patterns must be avoided.