[Clinical gait analysis].

Clinical gait analysis comprises a well defined repertoire of various methods for valid and reliable assessment. The rapid development of corresponding hardware and software has substantially decreased the efforts necessary for data processing and has promoted the clinical applicability of the procedures. The clinical question defines the amount of methodological input. Clinical gait analysis may provide diagnostic insight into the pathobiomechanics and the pathophysiology of complex gait disorders for which a profound understanding of the underlying causes is a prerequisite for adequate treatment. The methods may help in the screening of gait function following reconstructive surgery as a measure of quality control, the assessment of the severity of a gait disturbance, the evaluation of a rehabilitation process, or the quantification of the effect of orthoses, insoles or specific shoe ware. Simple procedures of gait analysis may suffice to obtain information on gait function which can not be derived by mere clinical observation and which can be incorporated into a clinical concept.