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Updated: Jun 29, 2025
Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
Published on: March 4, 2018
Three-Dimensional Instrumented Gait Analysis for Children With Cerebral Palsy: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
Rebecca A States1, Yasser Salem, Joseph J Krzak
1Physical Therapy Program, School of Health Professions and Human Services, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (Drs States and Salem); Faculty of Physiotherapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt (Dr Salem); Midwestern University - Physical Therapy Program, Downers Grove, Illinois (Dr Krzak); Shriners Children's Chicago, Gerald F. Harris Motion Analysis Center, Chicago, Illinois (Dr Krzak); Department of Physical Therapy, Long Island University - Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York (Dr Godwin); Shriners Children's Spokane, Walter E. & Agnes M. Griffin Motion Analysis Center, Spokane, Washington (Dr McMulkin); Department of Rehabilitation & Movement Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey (Dr Kaplan).
Insights
This guideline helps physical therapists and doctors use 3-dimensional instrumented gait analysis (3D-IGA) to assess and treat walking issues in children with cerebral palsy (CP). It provides actionable steps for better clinical decisions and interventions.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Clinical Biomechanics
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit complex gait deviations requiring interventions.
- 3-dimensional instrumented gait analysis (3D-IGA) offers detailed insights into walking mechanics, including kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide physical therapists (PTs), physicians, and clinicians with 7 action statements on utilizing 3D-IGA for children with CP.
- To guide the application of 3D-IGA in clinical assessments and intervention planning.
- To link action statement grades with evidence levels from literature appraisal.
Main Methods:
- Development of a clinical practice guideline based on critical appraisal of existing literature.
- Formulation of evidence-based action statements for 3D-IGA application in pediatric CP.
- Inclusion of best practice statements for 3D-IGA laboratory standards.
Main Results:
- The guideline offers 7 action statements for integrating 3D-IGA into clinical practice for children with CP.
- It details how 3D-IGA can inform surgical and non-surgical interventions.
- Recommendations are provided for laboratory instrumentation, staffing, and reporting.
Conclusions:
- 3D-IGA is a valuable tool for identifying gait deviations and evaluating intervention effectiveness in children with CP.
- The guideline supports informed decision-making for PTs and clinicians caring for children with CP.
- Standardized laboratory practices are recommended for optimal 3D-IGA utility.
Background:
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) who walk have complex gait patterns and deviations often requiring physical therapy (PT)/medical/surgical interventions. Walking in children with CP can be assessed with 3-dimensional instrumented gait analysis (3D-IGA) providing kinematics (joint angles), kinetics (joint moments/powers), and muscle activity.
Purpose:
This clinical practice guideline provides PTs, physicians, and associated clinicians involved in the care of children with CP, with 7 action statements on when and how 3D-IGA can inform clinical assessments and potential interventions. It links the action statement grades with specific levels of evidence based on a critical appraisal of the literature.
Conclusions:
This clinical practice guideline addresses 3D-IGA's utility to inform surgical and non-surgical interventions, to identify gait deviations among segments/joints and planes and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Best practice statements provide guidance for clinicians about the preferred characteristics of 3D-IGA laboratories including instrumentation, staffing, and reporting practices.Video Abstract: Supplemental digital content available at http://links.lww.com/PPT/A524.
