Knowra Gait analysis Gait analysis Gait analysis measures and interprets walking patterns, body motion, and forces. It helps identify how movement differs from typical walking and what may cause those differences.
Gait cycle : The sequence of events in one stride, from a foot’s contact with the ground to its next contact. Gait measurements are organized around the phases and events of this repeating sequence.
Gait disorder : An abnormal pattern of walking caused by neurological, musculoskeletal, or other conditions. Gait analysis characterizes the movement changes that define and distinguish these disorders.
Stride length : The distance between successive contacts of the same foot with the ground. It is a basic spatial measure used to describe walking patterns.
Observational gait analysis : The assessment of walking by watching a person move, with or without structured clinical scales. It relies on visual judgment rather than the instrumented measurements central to gait analysis.
Inverse dynamics : A mechanics method that infers internal forces and moments from measured motion and external forces. Its estimates depend on model assumptions and measured inputs, not direct joint-force readings.
Kinematics : The description of motion in terms of position, velocity, and acceleration, without considering its causes. Motion capture quantifies joint and limb movement without measuring the forces producing it.
Cerebral palsy : A group of disorders affecting movement and posture, caused by injury to the developing brain. Three-dimensional gait analysis can guide treatment planning for walking difficulties in cerebral palsy.
Cadence : The number of steps a person takes per unit of time, usually expressed as steps per minute. Cadence combines with step length to describe walking speed and rhythm.
Instrumented gait analysis : The quantitative assessment of walking using motion, force, or physiological measurement systems. It is the laboratory-based form that produces synchronized numerical gait data.
Musculoskeletal model : A computational representation of bones, joints, and muscles used to estimate movement and internal loads. Model structure and parameters can change the internal forces inferred from gait data.
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