Overview: Everything You Need to Know
Movement analysis is a detailed assessment of how your body moves during everyday tasks, sport-specific activities, or exercise. Instead of only focusing on where pain is felt, it looks at how movement patterns may be contributing to symptoms, overload, or repeated injury.
In physiotherapy, movement analysis helps us understand how joints, muscles, and the nervous system work together during real-life movement — such as walking, squatting, running, lifting, or reaching overhead.
How it works
We observe and assess your movement using visual assessment, video analysis (slow-motion where helpful), and specific functional tasks related to your job or sport. We look for:
- Poor movement control or coordination
- Muscle imbalances or compensations
- Joint stiffness or excessive movement
- Timing issues between muscle groups
Where did it originate?
Movement analysis has its roots in biomechanics, motor control research, and sports science. Over time, it has become a cornerstone of modern physiotherapy, strength & conditioning, and injury prevention programs worldwide. It is widely used in sports rehabilitation, post-surgical recovery, and chronic pain management.
What can a patient expect?
During a session at our Mayville practice, you can expect a brief discussion about your goals, observation of specific movements relevant to you, and simple explanations of what we are seeing and why it matters. No guessing — just practical insight into your movement.
Evidence & Research Support
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: Reports that altered movement patterns can increase tissue load and injury risk, even when strength levels appear normal.
- JOSPT: Highlights that assessing movement quality improves clinical decision-making and exercise prescription accuracy.
- Clinical Biomechanics: Studies show that movement retraining can reduce pain and improve function in conditions such as low back pain, knee pain, and shoulder disorders.
Benefits of Movement Analysis
- Identifying root causes: Often pain shows up in one area, while the problem starts somewhere else.
- Improved outcomes: Exercises are chosen based on how you move, not generic protocols.
- Injury prevention: Faulty movement patterns can be corrected before they lead to injury.
- Better performance: Especially useful for runners, gym-goers, and athletes in Pretoria.
- Reduced recurrence: Addressing movement habits lowers the risk of the same problem returning.
Conditions & Clinical Uses
Movement analysis is particularly helpful for recurrent or persistent injuries, sports injuries (running, rugby, gym), and post-operative rehabilitation (ACL, shoulder, spine). It is valuable for patients who feel they have done rehab before, but the pain keeps coming back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Many patients have pain that is driven by how they move, not just the injured area itself. Treating the movement driver is key to long-term relief.
Not at all. It is equally useful for office workers, active adults, and post-surgical patients in the Moot area.
No. It complements treatments like manual therapy and exercise rehabilitation by ensuring the "big picture" of your movement is addressed.
It usually forms part of your initial assessment or follow-up treatment session and is tailored to your specific needs.
Ready to Move Smarter?
Get a precise look at your movement patterns and identify the drivers of your pain. Book your assessment in Mayville today.
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