How to choose a gait analysis device? Which one do physical therapists use?

In the fields of sports rehabilitation, orthopedic diagnosis and treatment, and adolescent posture screening, more and more professional physiotherapists are beginning to rely on gait analysis equipment. So the question is: with so many gait analyzers on the market, how should we choose? Which one is worth investing in?

1. What can gait analysis equipment measure?

Let's first take a brief look at what gait analysis equipment does. It mainly uses pressure sensing, electromagnetic induction, video capture or laser radar and other technologies to collect and analyze a series of key parameters of people during walking.

The data that can be analyzed generally include:

Stride, step frequency, gait rhythm

The trajectory of center of gravity movement

The difference in force between the left and right feet

The order of landing (heel, arch, forefoot)

Gait symmetry and coordination

These data are not only used to correct walking posture, but also can assist in the diagnosis of problems such as flat feet, knee inward, pelvic rotation, and even detect potential sports injury risks in advance.

2. When purchasing, look at these three core elements

1. Dynamic acquisition capability

A good gait analysis device must have a high frame rate dynamic acquisition system, such as more than 100 frames per second, to capture subtle gait changes. Otherwise, it is not as accurate as a mirror to only measure the "standing posture".

2. Whether the data dimension is comprehensive

When assessing a person's posture, physiotherapists do not only look at the feet - gait should be combined with knee, hip, waist, shoulder and even head joint analysis. Good equipment should be able to collect multiple data dimensions simultaneously, or be equipped with a video analysis system.

3. Whether the report is visual and intelligent

What you want is not a bunch of cold data, but a popular and intuitive analysis report. Physiotherapists pay special attention to this because it is directly related to whether the subsequent intervention plan can be understood and implemented by customers.

3. What kind of equipment are physiotherapists using?

According to industry research, the most popular gait analysis system with a dual mode of "pressure plate + video tracking" is currently the most favored by physiotherapists.

Such systems are usually equipped with:

Foot pressure sensor plate

High-speed camera (front and side)

AI automatic gait analysis software

Management platform for exporting reports

This type of equipment not only has accurate data, but also can generate a graphic analysis report within 1 minute, greatly improving the work efficiency of physiotherapists and customer trust.

4. Can ordinary users use it?

Of course.

At present, there are some lightweight versions suitable for home or store use, such as portable pressure pads, small 3D scanners with mobile phone APP, which are more affordable and easy to operate, suitable for daily monitoring and health management.