A Podiatric Medical Perspective

Despite the plethora of information on human gait analysis, its continued use as a clinical tool remains uncertain. Analysis of gait dysfunction has become integral to podiatric medical practice, and, like many specialized fields, it is rapidly changing to meet the needs of the future. Practice in the 21st century is predicated on the concept of multidisciplinary working approaches and a growing trend toward evidence-based practice, in which gait analysis could play a prominent role. This article provides a historical synopsis of instrumented gait analysis and its associated subcomponents and discusses the salient issues concerning its future role in podiatric medicine. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 95(2): 130–142, 2005) Analysis of human walking has intrigued clinicians and researchers for more than a century. The bipedal method displayed by humans is regarded as a fundamental adaptation that separates us from other primates, 1 yet it is commonly taken for granted, until something goes wrong. Waters and Mulroy 2 describe the bipedal method as being complex, involving coordinated interactions of numerous physiologic systems for the smooth advancement of the body with the least mechanical and energy expenditures. Although the goal of walking is forward progression, limb motion is based on the need to maintain a stable column, symmetry, and integrated synchronous movements. A variety of conceptual approaches have been established to understand normal gait and the related terminology from both orthopedic 3,4 and podiatric medical 5 perspectives. Understanding the basic principles of normal gait provides a foundation for understanding pathologic and compensatory gait