Walking Analysis
Side and front/rear gait screening with report-ready biomechanical results.
How far has this tool been checked?
Foot-contact and toe-off times, step counts and cadence were checked against markers and force-plate events in two public treadmill datasets (Fukuchi et al. 2017 running and 2018 walking, CC BY 4.0), using the lab’s marker positions as stand-in body points with realistic noise added. The body-tracking model’s own error is NOT included, and the other measures of this tool (angles, trunk lean, symmetry) were checked on computer-drawn athletes only.
Where the camera goes
Seen from above. Angles are measured round from the front of the athlete; 90° is square-on from the side. Reference line: direction of walking.
Side view. Forward progression, timing, trunk posture and knee motion.
How high, and how it should sit
Framing
Head, trunk, hips, knees, ankles and feet in frame for several consecutive steps.
The 70–90% band is our own guidance. No published source gives a camera distance in metres, so use it as a starting point and adjust until the whole movement fits.
Ready to record?
Tick each item as you set it up. This is a reminder, not a lock.
0 of 11 ready
All the camera settings
Every setting shows where it came from.
- Camera height
- About hip height, from a tripod or stable support.
- From published guidance
- Distance
- No published distance exists. Stand back until the whole athlete fits with a small margin, so the athlete fills roughly 70-90% of the frame height. Use the 1x lens and move your feet, not the zoom.
- Our guidance
- Frame rate
- 30+ fps (recommended 60). HD 1080p and 60 fps or higher when possible. Slow-motion footage works if you enter the recorded rate.
- From published guidance
- Resolution
- 1080p recommended
- From published guidance
- Orientation
- Landscape or portrait both work.
- From published guidance
- Lens and zoom
- Use a normal lens or modest zoom, roughly 1x to 3x. Avoid fisheye and ultra-wide views.
- From published guidance
- Lighting
- Bright light.
- From published guidance
- Clothing
- Clothing that does not hide the shoulders, hips, knees, ankles or wrists.
- From published guidance
- Stability
- Tripod or fixed support, level with the horizon.
- From published guidance
- Calibration
- Enter the person’s height so distances can be scaled.
- From published guidance
Before you start
- Walk for about 3-5 minutes first so your gait settles into its habitual pace.
- Keep the pace the same during the recorded clip.
- Make sure the person being assessed is the most prominent in frame.
Cues for the athlete
Plain coaching cues, one thing at a time.
General
- Walk normally at your usual pace; do not look at the camera.
Why camera position matters
Research behind these rules.
2D angles are only trustworthy when the limb moves in the plane the camera sees. Camera-side joints are measured more accurately than far-side joints, and timing is only as fine as one frame.