When walking, muscles, ligaments and nerves work together so that gait disorders can be an indication of a disease. The gait analysis therefore serves to detect structural and functional abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system. Although the gait varies from person to person, movements should always be fluid and dynamic.
Some clinical pictures are accompanied by a clear shift in the gait pattern. A shortening of the leg, for example, is compensated by the inclination of the pelvis when walking or is noticed by the knee of the longer side that is not stretched. In acute cases, such as injuries, the gait pattern can be characterised by a relieving posture. Thus, pain in the hip often manifests itself in a reduced ground contact time when walking, in order to put as little strain as possible on the painful joint.