What should you know about Vicon gait analysis?

A clinician places small reflective markers on selected body landmarks and records movement from several angles. The software can help describe joint angles, timing, stride patterns, and differences between sides. It may be useful when a movement problem is difficult to judge from a brief examination alone.

The result is measurement, not a diagnosis by itself. Symptoms, strength, flexibility, footwear, injury history, and the clinician’s examination still matter. A [3D Motion Capture](/technology/3d-motion-capture/) assessment can provide related movement data, while a [Pressure Plate Gait Scanner](/technology/pressure-plate-gait-scanner/) focuses on how the feet load the ground.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows the clinician to place markers and observe your legs. Bring your usual walking or running shoes and mention pain, previous surgery, braces, or recent changes in activity. You may be asked to walk or run repeatedly so the team can compare a natural pattern with a task that brings on symptoms.

Use the findings to agree on a practical plan, such as exercise changes, technique work, or [Custom Orthotics](/treatments/non-surgical-orthopedics/custom-orthotics/) when foot mechanics are relevant.

Seek assessment when walking or running pain persists, your gait changes, or you develop repeated falls, marked weakness, or one-sided dragging. Get urgent help after an injury if you cannot bear weight, have a visible deformity, or develop new numbness with weakness.

Ask which movement question the test is intended to answer, whether you should walk or run, how the findings relate to your symptoms, and which change will be monitored afterward.