The Crossover Gait in New Jersey

In this article, we are going to be discussing what the crossover gait exactly is, and how it affects our patients who are runners.

The crossover gait occurs when a person runs left to right, and the foot comes down the midline. This is similar and can be compared to running on a tightrope or running on a balance beam. It is possible that they can even cross that midline when they land.

Now this may seem like it’s not an issue, but many harmful injuries can actually stem from this. The issue comes because your foot is coming down an increased inversion. This means that your foot is going through excess pronation at a high speed.

This can even mean that the knee may dive into velocity. The hips could also going to go into internal rotation which will limit the amount of extension coming from the hip joint. So where does this extension come from now? The answer is the low back.

Because it is coming from the low back now, any lower extremity condition can now come from the crossover gait. It will affect your performance, and it will affect any kind of injury or recovery from injuries. There is good news: We can correct this in our practice through these three steps:

1. Assess for hip stability: Make sure that the patient is strong enough for the treatment
2. Eliminate the cause: The crossover gait is the main problem here
3. Eliminate the cause by fixing the way they run: When the patient runs, have them practice with a line between their feet, about two or three inches between each foot

By doing these things, it is going to prevent increased coordination, prevent injuries from happening, and increase athletic performance.

When you change the way they are running, make sure you draw them back a bit and have them practice at a lower speed and lower distance.

If you have any questions on our treatment options in Springfield, please contact us, we would be happy to help you and see what we can do for you.

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Dr David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP

Dr. David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP is the founder and practice overseer at Back and Body Pain Relief in Springfield, NJ. A graduate of Life University Summa Cum Laude, Dr. Perna holds certifications in Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, SFMA, Neuro-Diagnostics (NCV/EMG), and Manipulation Under Anesthesia, among others. He is a Board Certified Sports Physician, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a United States Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Volunteer.

A competing athlete himself — a 2x Ironman 70.3 finisher with a background in Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and martial arts – Dr. Perna brings firsthand athletic experience to his patient care.

He has treated presidents, royalty, diplomats, and professional athletes across MMA, baseball, tennis, and football, and has appeared on Dr. Oz demonstrating chiropractic therapies. His approach is diagnostic-first, combining evidence-based chiropractic care with rehabilitation to help patients get out of pain and back to full function.