The clinical assessment of the normal and abnormal foot during locomotion

The clinical assessment of the weight-bearing foot during locomotion is normally based on subjective judgement rather than on quantitative measurement. Although anatomical abnormalities are often apparent at examination, the accurate assessment of an abnormality of function is more difficult to assess particularly if the abnormality is only apparent under dynamic loading conditions. The many drawbacks in previous methods proposed for the clinical assessment of gait have led to the development of a novel system which allows an immediate quantitative visualization of the magnitude and point of application of the forces applied to the plantar surface of the foot during locomotion. This paper describes the technique and presents visual data on normal locomotion, on abnormal locomotion and the changes induced into a patient's abnormal gait by corrective surgery.