Movement Analysis

Understand how your body moves during everyday activity, exercise and sport

Movement analysis is a structured assessment of how your body performs specific movements.

It can be used to look more closely at activities such as walking, squatting, lifting, running, jumping, reaching or sport-specific tasks. The aim is to understand whether strength, mobility, balance, coordination or movement habits may be contributing to pain, reduced performance or difficulty completing an activity.

Movement analysis does not aim to make everyone move in exactly the same way. People naturally use different movement strategies based on their body proportions, experience, strength and the activity they are performing.

The assessment focuses on identifying factors that are relevant to your symptoms and goals.

What is movement analysis?

Movement analysis involves observing and assessing how different parts of the body work together during a particular task.

Depending on your needs, this may include looking at:

• Joint movement
• Muscle control
• Balance
• Coordination
• Weight transfer
• Movement speed
• Differences between sides
• Strength during movement
• Stability
• Movement under load
• Movement during fatigue

Video or other digital tools may sometimes be used to slow movements down and review them in greater detail.

The findings are then considered alongside your symptoms, physical assessment and activity demands.

Who may benefit from movement analysis?

Movement analysis may be useful if you:

• Experience pain during a particular movement
• Have recurring sports injuries
• Feel restricted during exercise
• Notice a difference between your left and right sides
• Are returning after an injury
• Are returning after surgery
• Want to improve lifting technique
• Want to understand your running or sporting movement
• Have difficulty with balance or coordination
• Want to progress your gym training
• Are preparing to return to sport
• Feel that a particular movement is awkward or difficult

You do not need to have an injury to have your movement assessed.

What happens during your assessment?

The appointment begins with a discussion about the movement or activity you would like to assess.

You may be asked about:

• Current symptoms
• Previous injuries
• Previous surgery
• Sport or exercise
• Training frequency
• Work demands
• Activities that feel difficult
• Movements that cause pain
• Your current rehabilitation
• Your physical goals

The clinician may then assess relevant areas such as:

• Strength
• Joint mobility
• Balance
• Coordination

You will usually be asked to perform the movement that is relevant to your concern.

What movements can be assessed?

Movement analysis can be adapted to many different activities.

This may include:

• Squatting
• Lunging
• Lifting
• Bending
• Walking
• Running
• Jumping
• Landing
• Stepping
• Reaching
• Throwing
• Changing direction
• Sport-specific movements

The most useful movement to assess is usually the one that relates directly to your symptoms or goals.

Squat analysis

Squatting requires coordinated movement through the:

• Ankles
• Knees
• Hips
• Trunk

Assessment may consider:

• Depth
• Balance
• Foot position
• Knee movement
• Hip movement
• Trunk position
• Differences between sides

There is no single squat position that is correct for everyone.

Body proportions, mobility, experience and the type of squat being performed can all influence technique.

The goal is to identify whether anything is limiting your ability to squat comfortably or effectively.

Lunge analysis

Lunges place greater demand on one leg and may be useful for assessing:

• Single-leg strength
• Balance
• Hip control
• Knee control
• Ankle movement

Lunging is relevant to gym training as well as sports that involve stepping, running or changing direction.

If a lunge feels difficult, the assessment may help determine whether the main limitation is strength, mobility, balance or simply unfamiliarity with the movement.

Single-leg movement

Running, jumping and many sports involve repeated single-leg loading.

Movement analysis may therefore include:

• Single-leg squats
• Step-downs
• Single-leg balance
• Hopping
• Landing

These tasks can help assess:

• Strength
• Balance
• Coordination
• Confidence
• Differences between sides

The findings may guide further rehabilitation or strength training.

Lifting analysis

Movement analysis may be useful if you experience discomfort or uncertainty when lifting.

This can include:

• Lifting from the floor
• Carrying
• Gym-based deadlifts
• Work-related lifting

The assessment may consider:

• Leg and hip strength
• Trunk movement
• Load position
• Balance
• Range of movement
• Confidence

There is not always one correct lifting technique.

Different lifting strategies may be appropriate depending on the object, weight, environment and individual.

The aim is to develop a movement strategy that allows you to lift safely and confidently.

Bending

People with back pain can sometimes become concerned about bending.

Movement analysis may look at:

• How the spine and hips move
• Whether the movement causes symptoms
• Strength
• Confidence

The goal is not necessarily to teach you to keep your back completely straight during every movement.

The spine is designed to move.

Rehabilitation may instead focus on gradually rebuilding comfortable bending and lifting capacity.

Walking analysis

Walking problems may be assessed by looking at:

• Step length
• Walking speed
• Weight transfer
• Foot clearance
• Balance
• Differences between sides

This may be useful after:

• Injury
• Surgery
• Neurological conditions
• Periods of reduced mobility

Digital gait analysis may sometimes provide additional measurements where a more detailed walking assessment is needed.

Running analysis

Running places greater forces through the body than walking.

Movement analysis may consider:

• Step pattern
• Cadence
• Stride
• Foot placement
• Knee movement
• Hip movement
• Trunk position

These findings need to be interpreted alongside:

• Strength
• Training volume
• Previous injuries
• Running speed

There is no single perfect running style.

Technique changes should only be suggested where there is a clear reason.

Jumping analysis

Jumping requires the body to generate force quickly.

Assessment may look at:

• Take-off
• Power
• Balance
• Symmetry
• Coordination

Depending on your sport, you may complete:

• Double-leg jumps
• Single-leg jumps
• Vertical jumps
• Forward jumps

Jumping can be particularly useful during later stages of sports rehabilitation.

Landing analysis

Landing requires the body to absorb force.

Movement analysis may consider:

• Foot position
• Knee and hip movement
• Trunk control
• Balance
• Ability to absorb impact

Later testing may become more demanding by adding:

• Single-leg landings
• Repeated jumps
• Direction changes
• Faster movements

The goal is to prepare you for the types of landings required by your activity or sport.

Change-of-direction analysis

Field and court sports often require rapid direction changes.

Movement analysis may assess:

• Cutting
• Side stepping
• Turning
• Pivoting
• Stopping

The clinician may consider:

• Speed
• Balance
• Leg strength
• Control
• Differences between directions

These movements can be progressed gradually during rehabilitation.

Acceleration and deceleration

Starting and stopping quickly places high demand on the lower body.

Athletes may be assessed during:

• Short accelerations
• Faster running
• Sudden stopping
• Direction changes

This can be particularly relevant when returning to:

• Football
• Rugby
• Hockey
• Tennis
• Basketball
• Other court or field sports

Being able to jog comfortably does not necessarily mean you are ready for repeated high-speed acceleration and stopping.

Sport-specific movement analysis

Movement assessment can be adapted to the demands of your sport.

This may include:

• Kicking
• Throwing
• Sprinting
• Cutting
• Jumping
• Landing
• Overhead movement
• Racket movements

The assessment should focus on movements that are relevant to your actual participation.

A footballer, runner and tennis player may require very different analysis.

Movement analysis for gym exercises

Movement analysis can help if certain gym exercises feel uncomfortable or difficult.

This may include:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Lunges
• Presses
• Rows
• Overhead exercises

The assessment may identify whether an exercise needs:

• A different starting position
• Reduced resistance
• Modified range
• More strength
• Additional mobility

The goal is usually to help you progress the movement rather than automatically remove it from your programme.

Movement analysis after injury

Injury can change the way you move.

You may unconsciously:

• Avoid one side
• Reduce movement
• Shift weight
• Move more slowly
• Protect the injured area

Some of these changes are useful during early recovery.

As healing progresses, movement analysis can help identify whether these protective patterns are still necessary.

Rehabilitation may then gradually restore normal loading and confidence.

Movement analysis after surgery

Following surgery, movement may be affected by:

• Weakness
• Pain
• Swelling
• Joint stiffness
• Reduced confidence

Movement analysis may help assess tasks such as:

• Walking
• Squatting
• Stairs
• Lifting

The programme should still follow any restrictions provided by the surgical team.

As recovery progresses, movement can become more demanding.

Movement analysis and pain

Pain can alter how you move.

For example, you may:

• Shift away from a painful leg
• Avoid bending
• Reduce speed
• Shorten your stride

This does not necessarily mean that the altered movement originally caused the pain.

Movement findings should therefore be considered alongside:

• Symptoms
• Strength
• Training
• Injury history
• Physical capacity

The aim is to understand the whole problem rather than blame one movement pattern.

There is no perfect movement

Slow-motion video can make small movement differences look significant.

However, human movement naturally varies.

Different people may:

• Squat differently
• Run differently
• Lift differently
• Land differently

without experiencing pain or injury.

A movement should not be labelled incorrect simply because it looks different.

Changes are usually most useful when the movement is clearly related to symptoms, reduced function or a specific performance goal.

Movement asymmetry

Some difference between the left and right sides is normal.

You may naturally have:

• A dominant leg
• A preferred arm
• Slightly different mobility between sides

Asymmetry becomes more relevant when it is associated with:

• Previous injury
• Significant weakness
• Pain
• Reduced performance
• Difficulty completing a task

The aim is not necessarily to make both sides perfectly identical.

Strength and movement

A movement problem may sometimes be a strength problem.

For example:

• A difficult step-down may reflect reduced quadriceps strength
• Poor push-off while walking may reflect calf weakness
• Difficulty landing may reflect reduced lower-limb strength

In these situations, repeatedly practising the movement without developing strength may have limited benefit.

Rehabilitation may therefore combine movement practice with progressive resistance training.

Mobility and movement

Limited joint mobility may affect how a movement is performed.

Areas commonly assessed include:

• Ankles
• Hips
• Shoulders
• Spine

However, more flexibility is not automatically better.

If you already have enough movement for the activity, additional stretching may provide little benefit.

The assessment helps determine whether mobility is actually limiting the task.

Balance and movement

Balance affects many functional activities.

Poor balance may make movements such as:

• Stepping
• Single-leg exercises
• Turning
• Landing

more difficult.

Balance training may progress from simple supported tasks towards more dynamic activity.

For athletes, standing still on one leg is usually only the starting point.

Coordination

Some movements require several parts of the body to work together quickly.

Coordination may be assessed during:

• Running
• Jumping
• Throwing
• Sport-specific tasks

A movement may improve simply through practice and familiarity.

Not every coordination difficulty requires a separate corrective exercise.

Movement under load

How you move without resistance may be very different from how you move when carrying or lifting weight.

Movement analysis may therefore assess:

• Bodyweight movements
• Light resistance
• Heavier resistance where appropriate

This can help determine whether the movement changes as physical demand increases.

The appropriate load depends on your experience and stage of rehabilitation.

Movement at different speeds

Movement can change significantly with speed.

For example, an athlete may look comfortable while:

• Jogging

but develop a different pattern during:

• Sprinting

Similarly, someone may control a slow squat but struggle during a faster sporting movement.

Where relevant, assessment can progress from slower controlled movement towards the speeds required by your activity.

Movement under fatigue

Physical control can change as you become tired.

Some symptoms only appear:

• Late in a run
• Towards the end of training
• During repeated jumping
• After several high-intensity efforts

Movement analysis may therefore consider repeated activity where appropriate.

This can help determine whether endurance or physical capacity needs to improve.

Video movement analysis

Video can provide additional detail that is difficult to see at normal speed.

It may be used to:

• Slow down movement
• Compare different attempts
• Review differences between sides
• Show you a relevant finding

Video should be used to support practical recommendations.

The goal is not to identify as many small imperfections as possible.

Digital movement analysis

Some assessments may use digital systems or sensors to provide additional measurements.

This could include:

• Joint angles
• Timing
• Speed
• Symmetry

Digital data can be useful when it helps answer a specific question.

However, numbers need to be interpreted alongside your symptoms and physical assessment.

Movement analysis and rehabilitation

Movement analysis can help guide an exercise programme.

For example, assessment may identify:

• Reduced leg strength
• Limited ankle mobility
• Poor balance
• Difficulty controlling a landing

The programme may then include:

• Strengthening
• Mobility exercises
• Balance
• Jumping
• Movement practice

The rehabilitation should address the underlying physical limitation rather than only practising how the movement looks.

Movement retraining

In some situations, changing the way a movement is performed may help.

A movement adjustment may involve:

• Changing stance
• Adjusting step length
• Changing speed
• Modifying range
• Altering load

Changes should have a clear purpose.

Trying to consciously control every joint during movement can make normal activity unnecessarily complicated.

Movement analysis and physiotherapy

Movement analysis is often one part of a wider physiotherapy assessment.

Physiotherapy may also consider:

• Pain
• Strength
• Joint mobility
• Neurological function
• Injury healing
• Activity levels

Movement analysis provides additional information about how these factors affect real activities.

It should not replace a proper clinical assessment when pain or injury is present.

Movement analysis and strength & conditioning

For athletes or gym users, movement analysis may help guide strength and conditioning.

Testing can identify where additional work may be useful before progressing to:

• Heavier lifting
• Faster running
• Jumping
• Sport-specific activity

The programme can then develop the strength and capacity needed for those movements.

Movement analysis and performance

Movement analysis may also be used when there is no pain.

An athlete may want to understand movement during:

• Sprinting
• Jumping
• Lifting
• Cutting

The findings can be combined with performance testing such as:

• Strength
• Power
• Speed

Movement alone does not determine sporting performance.

The athlete also needs enough physical capacity to perform the activity repeatedly and at the required intensity.

Movement analysis for runners

Runners may benefit from analysis when experiencing:

• Recurring injuries
• Knee pain
• Shin pain
• Achilles symptoms
• Hip pain

Assessment may combine:

• Running observation
• Strength testing
• Training review

Running technique should not be considered separately from how much, how often and how quickly you are running.

Movement analysis for cyclists

Cycling movement analysis may look at:

• Knee movement
• Hip movement
• Ankle position
• Trunk position
• Bike setup

The relationship between the rider and bicycle is important.

For more detailed assessment, cycling biomechanics may be appropriate.

Movement analysis for older adults

Movement analysis can also be adapted for everyday function.

Assessment may look at:

• Sit-to-stand
• Walking
• Turning
• Stairs
• Balance

The aim may be to improve:

• Independence
• Confidence
• Mobility
• Safety

The movement tasks selected should reflect what matters in daily life.

Movement analysis for teenagers

Teenage athletes are still developing physically.

Movement can change during periods of growth as:

• Height increases
• Strength changes
• Coordination adapts

Assessment should therefore consider age, development and training experience.

The aim is not to hold young athletes to one adult movement standard.

Movement analysis before returning to sport

Movement analysis can form part of later rehabilitation before returning to sport.

Depending on the injury, this may include:

• Squatting
• Hopping
• Jumping
• Landing
• Running
• Cutting

More formal return-to-sport testing may also be required for significant injuries.

Feeling comfortable during basic movement does not always mean an athlete is ready for full competition.

What happens after movement analysis?

Following the assessment, recommendations may include:

• Strength exercises
• Mobility work
• Balance training
• Movement practice
• Exercise modifications
• Changes to training
• Further physiotherapy
• Sport-specific rehabilitation

Not every movement finding requires treatment.

The focus should remain on factors that are relevant to your symptoms or goals.

Reassessment

Movement can be reviewed after a period of rehabilitation or training.

Reassessment may help identify changes in:

• Strength
• Movement confidence
• Balance
• Symmetry
• Ability to complete the task

Progress does not necessarily mean making a movement look perfect.

Improved comfort, strength and physical capacity may be more meaningful outcomes.

When movement analysis may not be the right first step

A detailed clinical assessment may be more appropriate first if you have:

• A new significant injury
• Severe pain
• Major swelling
• Significant weakness
• Repeated joint instability
• Recent surgery
• New neurological symptoms

The underlying problem should be understood before focusing on movement technique.

When further medical assessment may be needed

Seek appropriate medical or clinical assessment if you experience:

• Severe or rapidly worsening pain
• Inability to put weight through a limb
• Significant unexplained swelling
• New significant weakness
• Persistent numbness
• Sudden loss of balance or coordination
• Pain following major trauma
• Unexplained loss of physical function

These symptoms should not simply be addressed by modifying movement.

Analysis based on your goals

Movement analysis should focus on what you need your body to do.

Your goals may include:

• Squatting comfortably
• Lifting confidently
• Returning to running
• Improving gym technique
• Returning after injury
• Improving sport-specific movement
• Understanding an asymmetry
• Returning to work
• Improving balance
• Preparing for higher-level training

The assessment can then be designed around those activities.

How many appointments will I need?

Some people may only require one movement analysis session with recommendations to continue independently.

Further appointments may be useful if:

• Rehabilitation is required
• Strength needs to improve
• A technique change is being introduced
• You are returning after injury
• More advanced movement needs to be assessed

The number of sessions depends on the problem and your goals.