Gait analysis is a sophisticated laboratory technique by which modern electronics are used to incorporate information from a number of inputs to illustrate and analyze the dynamics of gait. It describes for the clinician (physician, surgeon, therapist) in quantitative and dynamic terms the movement of the body and its limbs and the changing relationships of one extremity to other extremities during motion (e.g.: walking, leg raising). It helps the clinician judge what are the forces resulting in a dysfunction in movement of a limb and what is the result of compensating for the dysfunction; to put it another way, what is cause and what is effect.

Gait analysis has become particularly useful to the surgical team when decisions need to be made about the applicability of a surgical procedure for correction of a faulty gait. It is also valuable after surgery to learn whether the dysfunction has been corrected and how motion of the treated limb is now effecting the dynamics of walking.

Although the technology of gait analysis continues to be studied, it has moved from an "experimental" methodology to the realm of a tool in clinical practice. We can anticipate future improvements in the technology of gait analysis and in the interpretation of its results; however, gait analysis has reached the status of a clinical laboratory test used by clinicians when specific information is necessary as a guide to therapy.

Gait analysis relies upon the use of sophisticated equipment by a team of experts from several disciplines. Because of this, gait analysis is a relatively expensive laboratory examination. However, when used judiciously it has become a useful instrument in appraisal of gait dysfunction and in the evaluation of the results of clinical therapy.