Advanced Gait Analysis for Dynamic Foot Assessment

Gait biomechanics is concerned with everything pertaining to mechanical forces and movements executed while walking or running, as it applies engineering principles to human movement. It looks at the interactions between the foot, ankle, knee, and hip with respect to achieving optimal movement efficiency concerning center of mass traversal, power output of the joints, and the vector of forces exerted by the ground. For example, in the stance phase, biomechanics gait analysis might indicate that a high arch runner, also referred to as toe runner, vertically loads the system too much and increases stress on the tibia. This understanding helps develop shock resistant insoles or training modules aimed at reducing the forces dissipated. By measuring factors of a person’s movement, researchers and clinicians are able to formulate policies that enhance mobility, reduce injury occurrence, and increase performance for every age.