Does it hurt when you walk or run? Do you get repetitive injuries when you exercise? That might be your body telling you that your mechanics are wrong. The human body is an amazingly complex instrument and sometimes the way we use it needs some fine-tuning. If you experience pain when walking or running or are looking to get into walking or running again, it might be time for you to consider a gait analysis.

Gait analysis is a thoughtful and diligent study of human motion. By using video cameras placed on a walkway or treadmill and utilizing advance software, it becomes easier to identify an improper body mechanic that may be causing an injury. The process starts with placing identifiable markers on different parts of the body. As the patient walks, the software can calculate the trajectory of each marker in three dimensions. Afterwards, the movement of underlying bones can be calculated from those trajectories, resulting in a complete visual demonstration of the movement of each joint.

Example of Gait Analysis

Credit: Youtube User Carlos Guevara

Effectively, gait analysis allows for a comprehensive breakdown of a deficiency in body mechanics that the naked eye would be unable to detect. This results in a clearer path for a prognosis and potentially treatment of the injury.

This fascinating and innovative technology is available at OSC through our in-house physical therapy department. This is a very valuable resource for the community and is available to everyone. Many patients can have this analysis covered by insurance. If your insurance does not cover this cost we offer gait analysis for $150.

Gait analysis can be used to enhance your performance, test the effectiveness of various running shoes or select the right footwear for work. Whatever your need, OSC is here to help eliminate any painful steps, and maybe even put an extra hop in those steps. Make an appointment today for your gait analysis!