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Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
Published on: March 4, 2018
Comprehensive non-dimensional normalization of gait data
Ornella Pinzone1, Michael H Schwartz2, Richard Baker1
1University of Salford, UK.
Insights
Non-dimensional normalization is more effective than conventional methods for gait analysis in children. This approach better reduces variability from height, weight, and age across various gait parameters.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Pediatric Gait Analysis
Background:
- Clinical gait analysis data requires normalization to account for physical variations like leg length and weight, especially in children where these correlate with age.
- Conventional normalization methods often rely solely on mass, while non-dimensional normalization offers a stronger biomechanical basis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of conventional (mass-based) versus non-dimensional normalization techniques in reducing variability in pediatric gait analysis.
- To evaluate the performance of both normalization schemes across a broad spectrum of temporal-spatial and kinetic gait parameters.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 82 typically developing children.
- Calculated coefficients of determination between normalized gait parameters and leg length, weight, and height for both normalization methods.
Main Results:
- 81% of conventionally normalized parameters showed a statistically significant association (p<0.05) with physical characteristics, compared to 23% of non-dimensionally normalized parameters.
- Conventionally normalized parameters that met the significance threshold demonstrated a reduced association after non-dimensional normalization.
Conclusions:
- Non-dimensional normalization is superior to conventional normalization for reducing the influence of height, weight, and age in pediatric gait analysis.
- This improved normalization is effective across a comprehensive range of temporal-spatial and kinetic gait parameters.
Abstract:
Normalizing clinical gait analysis data is required to remove variability due to physical characteristics such as leg length and weight. This is particularly important for children where both are associated with age. In most clinical centres conventional normalization (by mass only) is used whereas there is a stronger biomechanical argument for non-dimensional normalization. This study used data from 82 typically developing children to compare how the two schemes performed over a wide range of temporal-spatial and kinetic parameters by calculating the coefficients of determination with leg length, weight and height. 81% of the conventionally normalized parameters had a coefficient of determination above the threshold for a statistical association (p<0.05) compared to 23% of those normalized non-dimensionally. All the conventionally normalized parameters exceeding this threshold showed a reduced association with non-dimensional normalization. In conclusion, non-dimensional normalization is more effective that conventional normalization in reducing the effects of height, weight and age in a comprehensive range of temporal-spatial and kinetic parameters.
