Your appointment at the one small step gait laboratory

Gait analysis is the measurement of how people move when walking. At a gait analysis appointment we record the movement pattern of your child’s legs using a video camera and motion capture system while they walk along a large (10 metre) room. The cameras will follow your child’s leg movements by tracking small plastic balls that are placed onto their feet, legs, and around their waist using a small amount of sticky tape.

Upper limb movement analysis is the assessment of how people move their arms. At an upper limb movement analysis appointment we record the movement of your child's arms and the activation patterns of their muscles.

We will record your child’s movement while they sit and perform a range of tasks including reaching and touching a target, picking up a bottle and other functional or play based tasks. Small sensors are attached on to your child's arms that record the electrical signals of their muscles. These tell us when their body is turning their muscles on and off. We also measure the range of movement of their arms by gently moving them and measuring the angles.

Upper limb movement analysis happens in two stages:

• gathering information about your child's arm movement and function
• putting this information together in a report which will help your child's doctor or therapist make decisions about treatment.

Gait analysis simply looks at a person's usual walking pattern. Patients are asked to walk along a 10 metre walkway so that the cameras can follow the plastic balls. They can walk at a speed that they find comfortable and can stop for a short rest if they feel tired.

The sensors that we use to record your child's muscle activation patterns are held on with small amounts of sticky tape. When these are removed at the end of the appointment it may cause a little discomfort, but they are less sticky than plasters.

Your child's legs and torso need to be seen clearly by the cameras. The best clothing to wear is a t-shirt and loose shorts. Your child will need to have bare feet for parts of the appointment.

If your child uses any walking aids or ankle foot orthoses (splints) to walk please bring these with you.

Depending on the amount of information needed, the analysis can take up to two hours. This involves a number of rest periods.

We will not be able to give you the results on the same day as your child's appointment. Results are sent in a report within six weeks.

After the appointment, we analyse the data in the laboratory, write a report and review that report with a team of movement specialists (including clinical scientists, therapists and orthopaedic surgeons).

Copies of the report get sent to your child's referrer, so that they can discuss it with you and your child when you next see them. We advise you to contact your referrer if you do not know the date of your child's follow-up appointment.

Your child may be seen at the gait laboratory again but the doctor would need to make a new referral.