Pain Free Feet

Whitby Family Footcare Clinic: 905.668.8233
Peterborough Family Foot Care & Orthotics: 705.740.8247

Gait Analysis

The PediGait Synchronous 4 Camera Gait Analysis System

Gait analysis is used on a daily basis by chiropodists/podiatrists as a component of the physical evaluation of the presenting patient. Typically, gait analysis consists of watching a patient walk back and forth in a hallway. The information observed in the gait analysis helps to reveal the the cause the patient’s presenting symptoms.

Hallway gait analysis provides valuable information to the practitioner but provides no visual feedback for you “the patient” relating to the way you walk or run.

Since the introduction of PediGait synchronous 4 camera gait analysis system into our Whitby office, we have elevated clinical gait analysis to the next level by providing more informed patient education as well as direct visual feedback to help you to understand why you have foot, ankle, shin, knee, hip and back pain.

The state of the art PediGait synchronous 4 camera digital gait analysis system is used as part of our physical examination when prescribing custom foot orthotics.

You will be asked to walk or run on a treadmill. Once you get use to walking or running on the treadmill at your normal speed your gait pattern will be captured over a 10 second period. The PediGait system will film and record you walking or running on a treadmill from the front, back left side and right side all at the same time.

The benefits of the Pedigait system include:

Films and records you walking or running on a treadmill simultaneously from the front view, back view, left side view and right side view.

  1. Archives a permanent visual record of your gait that can be played back immediately or at a future date.
  2. Immediate playback to allow observation of your gait from four views at the same time or from one single view on a large high definition TV.
  3. The video can be slowed down, viewed frame by frame or paused to allow you to see your gait in complete detail from four different views or one single view.
  4. Provides comparisons between multiple video captures such as walking or running barefoot, with shoes and with shoes plus orthotics.
  5. Can provide a video file either for insurance purposes, or for another health professional such as your family doctor or simply to view on your home computer.

Finally, one of the benefits for the chiropodist/podiatrist is the ability to view your gait analysis video in more detail after you are no longer in the office. If your treatment plan requires a prescription foot orthotic, the archived visual record of the captured 4 views is extremely useful when writing a prescription for custom foot orthotics.
If requested, we can book a 30 minute video session to analyze your walking or running gait pattern. This type of service may be of interest to avid runners and walkers. Please call the Whitby office to enquire about this service. Please note Pedigait gait analysis is only available in the Whitby office.