Reporting Clinical Gait Analysis Data

Abstract

Gait analysis is a special investigation that can assist clinical staff in the decision making process regarding treatment options for patients with walking difficulties. Interpretation of gait analysis data recorded from 3D motion capture systems is a time consuming and complex process. This chapter describes techniques and a software program that can be used to simplify interpretation of gait data. It can be viewed with an interactive display and a gait report can be produced more quickly with the key results highlighted. This will allow referring clinicians to integrate the relevant gait measurements and observations and to formulate the patient treatment plan. Although an abbreviated analysis may be useful for clinicians, a full explanation with the key features highlighted is helpful for movement scientists. Visualization software has been developed that directs the clinician and scientist to the relevant parts of the data simplifying the analysis and increasing insight.