What should you know about video gait analysis?

A recording may show stride length, foot placement, knee tracking, hip motion, trunk lean, arm movement, and differences between sides. Reviewing frames repeatedly can make a movement easier to discuss than relying on memory. Camera position, lighting, clothing, speed, and the surface affect what can be seen. A video shows movement; it does not by itself explain why a pattern exists or prove that the pattern caused pain.

Some clinics combine video with [3D Motion Capture](/technology/3d-motion-capture/) or a [Pressure Plate Gait Scanner](/technology/pressure-plate-gait-scanner/) when more detailed movement or foot-loading information is needed.

Wear your usual activity shoes and clothing that leaves the legs visible. Tell the clinician whether the recording should reflect walking, running, a sport movement, or a task that brings on symptoms. Describe when pain begins and whether it changes with speed or fatigue. Use the findings to guide a specific plan, such as a strengthening exercise, a pacing adjustment, or a gradual technique trial. Footwear support, including [Custom Orthotics](/treatments/non-surgical-orthopedics/custom-orthotics/), should be considered in context rather than selected from one video feature.

Arrange medical assessment for pain that persists, changes your normal walking, or follows a significant injury. Seek urgent care for an obvious deformity, inability to bear weight, sudden weakness, or numbness that is worsening. A recording cannot replace examination when swelling, loss of strength, nerve symptoms, or a serious injury may be present.

Ask which camera views are needed, what movement is relevant to your symptoms, and what the clinician cannot determine from video alone. Ask how to practise any suggested change, how progress will be measured, and when you should return if symptoms do not settle.