Updates

Motion Analysis and Human Performance Laboratory

<p>Motion Analysis and Human Performance Laboratory</p>

Texas Children’s Hospital® The Woodlands is a 548,000-square foot full-service pediatric hospital. A hallmark feature of the campus is Texas Children’s Motion Analysis and Human Performance Laboratory, part of the hospital’s nationally ranked Orthopedics program and one of the only pediatric labs of its kind in the state.

The laboratory leverages the expertise of a team of physicians, therapists, biomechanists and exercise physiologists along with state-of-the-art computer and sensor technology to study, analyze and help improve how the human body moves. The laboratory is equipped with a 3D motion capture system, force platforms, force plate instrumented treadmill, electromyography system and a metabolic cart.

Motion analysis is used to provide your health care team with information about your movement patterns, muscle activation and force generation during functional tasks such as walking, running and jumping. This type of information is not visible to the naked eye and cannot be assessed with visual observations. Your health care team uses this information to better understand how orthopedic or neuromuscular impairments may be affecting your functional activities, quality of life and/or athletic performance.


There are two different clinical focuses of the Motion Analysis and Human Performance Laboratory, and two different groups of patients served by our lab and our team.

Patients who have been referred to us for Clinical Gait Analysis typically have a movement disorder or underlying medical condition that affects their ability to walk. Clinical gait analysis is used to inform decisions about surgical interventions and/or the need for braces/prosthetic devices to address these movement-related issues. We see patients with a variety of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal conditions including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, brain or spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophies, hip and joint problems or balance disorders. For information about services, the team of providers, referrals and more, please visit the Clinical Gait Analysis section.

Patients who have been referred to us for Sports Performance are typically athletes with injuries or issues related to athletic performance or specific functions, such as running or throwing. Our wide range of functional and diagnostic assessments are used by physical therapists and sports medicine physicians to inform the athlete’s training and recovery regimens. For information about services, the team of providers, referrals and more, please visit the Sports Performance section.