Ganganalysen

Ganganalysen, or gait analyses, are a set of methods and technologies used to quantify how a person walks. The goal is to measure, interpret, and compare movement patterns to understand motor function, diagnose problems, guide rehabilitation, and evaluate interventions or assistive devices.

Methods used in gait analysis range from qualitative observational assessment performed by clinicians to quantitative instrumented approaches. Instrumented gait analysis typically occurs in specialized labs and combines motion capture systems, force plates that measure ground reaction forces, and electromyography to record muscle activity. More recently, wearable technologies such as inertial measurement units and pressure-sensitive insoles enable gait data collection outside laboratory settings, increasing practicality and ecological validity.

Common metrics include spatiotemporal parameters (velocity, step length, cadence, stance and swing times), kinematic data (joint angles and segment motions), kinetic data (joint moments and powers), and energetic cost of walking. Researchers and clinicians also use symmetry indices and other derived measures to assess deviations from typical gait patterns.

Applications span clinical, research, and industrial domains. Clinically, gait analysis assists in diagnosing conditions affecting walking, planning treatments for stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and orthopedic injuries, and evaluating prosthetic or orthotic devices. In research, it supports studies of aging, rehabilitation, and biomechanics. In industry, gait data inform the design of footwear, assistive devices, and performance optimization in sports.

History of gait analysis traces from visual assessment to increasingly sophisticated instrumented systems, driven by advances in motion capture, sensing technology, and data analytics. Standardization and accessibility remain ongoing challenges.