Gait Development & Movement Analysis

Gait and motion analysis helps to understand and recognize how orthopedic, neurological and muscular conditions can hinder motions that are critical to daily living.

Cerebral palsy may lead to a number of bone, joint and muscle problems that affect walking (gait) and mobility. Although people might have similar walking patterns, the way their muscles and joints work together can vary widely.  Information from gait analysis—together with imaging scans, medical history and the results of other evaluations—helps your care team recommend the best treatments for a wide variety of conditions that disrupt movement.

Examples of orthopedic and muscular conditions that disrupt movement are:

• Spasticity or contractures of muscles can cause the knees to flex at the hip knee and ankle which can cause difficulty or increased energy requirement of walking.
• Internal rotation of the thigh bone, external rotation of the lower legs, and severe flat feet combine to limit the "push-off" ability to move forward, making walking slow.
• When the muscles are too strong on one side and too weak on the other side, the muscle imbalance can result in gait abnormalities or dysfunction.