KŌMØ LIBRARY

GAIT · BIOMECHANICS · 6 MIN

Why can my gait become asymmetric?

Our two sides are never perfectly identical. What matters is whether a difference is new, persistent, increasing or functionally relevant.

Three things to know
01Gait asymmetry can be temporal, spatial, kinetic or kinematic.
02A single asymmetry value does not explain its cause.
03New or clearly progressive asymmetry should be interpreted alongside clinical history and examination.

There is no single asymmetry

One side may differ in stance time, step length, propulsion, joint motion or muscle activation. The parameter being measured therefore matters.

Adaptation versus change

Small side-to-side differences can exist without functional problems. Longitudinal measurements help distinguish a stable personal pattern from a changing one.

When to seek assessment

New asymmetry with weakness, numbness, foot drop, severe pain or sudden balance problems warrants timely professional evaluation.

Established evidenceFactual statements are grounded in the publications listed below.
KŌMØ perspectiveKŌMØ favours a multidimensional, longitudinal reading of mobility.
LimitsThis page is educational and does not replace medical assessment when a change is recent, marked or accompanied by other symptoms.
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