PT on the Mind

Hey Lauren,

nice to meet a fellow Lauren PT who finds herself analyzing people's gaits at random!

I am a first year DPT student and I was having the same problem at the end of last semester in which we took our first MPT class. I was sitting outside the cafeteria at the hospital one day waiting to have lunch with my mentor and found myself analyzing the gait of nearly every person who passed by. I was amazed at how many gait deviations I saw among even the hospital personnel; that is until I realized that I was actually analyzing gait in my idle time. It was a bit unsettling, but then I thought, gait and motion are kind of like the language we as physical therapists speak. Language teachers always say that a sure sign of becoming fluent in a language is dreaming in that language. I think our subconscious gait analysis can be analagous to dreaming in a foreign language, thus demonstrating our "fluency" or knowledge as budding PTs.

I have noticed over time, as this spring semester has passed that I've been analyzing less gait subconsciously, and if I do it tends to be runners' gaits. Thus, reading a national geographic the other night on Cheetahs with a huge frame by frame spread of a 100m dash, I found myself analyzing their stride with all the components of heel contact, foot flat, single limb support, double limb support, etc. I immediately laughed to myself, but I can't deny I also found it very interesting how their gait cycle during a sprint is so different from ours.

I think over time as we continue to add to our base of knowledge and experience clinical practice that our subconcious analysis of PT will take us less by surprise, remind us less of school, and will become a habit we will be greatful for and not think too much of once we're practicing.

Lauren

Erin-  thanks for the advice.  I keep hoping that when it's really time to recall all of this information, it will somehow just pop into my mind.  I'm glad to hear that's the way it is for you.  Good luck with everything!

hello. i have only been doing working as a PTA for 2 1/2 years and but i know how you feel about you watching people walk, but eventually you will fade out of school mode and it will less. and yes you will never remember everything but working with whatever topic you arent so sure about then actually dealing with the situation right there instead of the book you will be amazed on how well you retain it. but good luck. thanks.

                                                   Erin.