How can gait analysis help with hip pain?
The hips play a major role in absorbing and transferring forces during walking and running. They also help control the position of the pelvis and lower limb during single-leg activities.
Gait analysis can be useful when assessing certain causes of hip pain, particularly when symptoms are influenced by walking distance, running or repeated weight-bearing activities.
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome often causes pain on the outside of the hip, especially when lying on the affected side, climbing stairs or standing on one leg.
A gait assessment may identify a pronounced pelvic drop, altered trunk position or movement patterns that increase the demand on the hip abductor muscles and surrounding tendons.
These findings can help guide an appropriate programme of hip strengthening, load management and movement modification.
However, these movement patterns are not necessarily the cause of the pain, and their significance must be considered alongside the clinical examination.
Hip osteoarthritis
Hip osteoarthritis can cause stiffness, reduced hip extension, a shorter stride and a limp.
Gait analysis can help identify restrictions and compensatory movements that may be affecting walking efficiency. For example, reduced hip extension may be accompanied by changes in pelvic or trunk movement.
The results can help inform exercises to maintain mobility, improve strength and support daily activities. Where necessary, they can also help establish whether further medical assessment is appropriate.
Hip pain in runners
Runners with hip pain may benefit from an assessment of stride length, cadence, pelvic movement and lower-limb control.
The findings can be used to guide training modifications and targeted strengthening where relevant. Gait analysis can also help distinguish between movement-related concerns and symptoms that require further investigation.