Gait Analysis: Observe and Videotape Movement

Bobbie is directing Jo to walk for our cameras with her
walker and braces.

During this step of the analysis, the therapist will move your child to a large room with stage lighting that make it easy to see your child’s movement clearly and record it. The therapist will begin to ask your child to perform certain movements and walk, observing and gathering data that will help determine her care plan.

These movements are videotaped in order to provide a record of her movement that can be reviewed at a later date by all of our specialists. Videotaping alone is one way of looking at how a person walks. It allows our team to observe your child walk over and over again in normal speed, slow motion or one frame at a time. Although this approach is often used commercially to provide a basic gait analysis, this is very limited and only a small part of the complete gait analysis provided by the CGMA at The Children’s Hospital.

Your therapist will first ask your child to walk a line the length of the room several times in their most natural form of walking – barefoot and if possible, without orthotics or assistive devices. Once this has been videotaped, your therapist will begin to add back in any devices they typically rely upon and videotape this as well. These movements are recorded by several different cameras from several different angles.

Step 3: Dynamic Electromyography