Urban legends in gait analysis

Abstract

Impaired gait patterns are often compared to that of a group of able-bodied subjects. This latter group usually forms a gold standard. Variability in able-bodied gait parameters could reflect different normal locomotion patterns. Furthermore, a lack of statistical difference between patient data and control subjects can hide a perturbed gait pattern. This review on normal gait patterns discusses three well-accepted hypotheses, which can be called into question. These are that we all walk alike, gait is symmetrical and propulsion comes from the foot at push-off. This diversity in normal able-bodied locomotion patterns suggests different movement strategies making it difficult for an eventual comparison with pathological gait conditions.