StepSync -- How Do You Walk?

Welcome to Your Walking Journey

As many as 80% of Americans have experienced issues in their lives related to bad posture. On the flip side, upright walking posture is associated with increased positive emotion, alertness, and confidence, as well as lower blood pressure. What if you could see exactly how your movement compares to optimal walking patterns?

Just like finding the right training partner, we will match you with a reference model that fits your unique body type and health profile.

How to Use Our Interactive Tool

Our interactive guide will help you understand and improve your walking mechanics. On the next page, you will see a reference model demonstrating proper walking form. Make sure to watch how different body parts work together to create smooth, efficient movement.

What You'll Learn:

Proper foot placement and movement patterns
Knee and hip alignment during walking
Core stability and posture
Upper body coordination
Overall balance and rhythm

Find Your Matching Participant

To start, please select your gender and enter your measurements to find the most similar participant.

Enter your measurements in US units (inches and pounds)

Foot Movement

How your foot strikes the ground sets the stage for the rest of your body to follow. Let's see how your foot's movement shapes your walking pattern.

Heel Strike: The heel makes initial contact with the ground
Midstance: Weight transfers through the foot
Toe-Off: Push-off from the toes propels the body forward

Click "Play" to understand your partner's heel strike and toe-off phases.

Click "Try It" to see yourself!

Knee Movement

These essential shock absorbers help manage the forces of your feet hitting the ground, providing stability and support. Notice how your knee movements interact with the foundation laid by your feet.

Flexion: Bending of the knee during early stance for shock absorption
Extension: Straightening of the knee in late stance for stability
Swing Phase: Controlled flexion to clear the foot from the ground

Hip Movement

Your hips are the core of your gait, influencing both lower and upper body movement.

Flexion/Extension: Forward and backward movement
Rotation: Internal and external rotation during the gait cycle
Stability: Pelvis control for maintaining level walking

Core Stability

Your core plays a vital role in maintaining posture and balance throughout your walk. Let's look at how your trunk and spine work together, supporting smooth, controlled movement from the ground up.

Trunk Control: Minimal lateral sway during walking
Spinal Alignment: Maintaining good posture during movement
Weight Shifting: Controlled transfer of weight from side to side

Upper Body Movement

Your arms also play an essential role in maintaining balance and efficiency. Watch how the natural swing of your arms complements the movements in your lower body.

Counter-rotation: Arms move opposite to the legs
Shoulder Movement: Natural swing for balance
Energy Conservation: Efficient arm movement reduces energy expenditure

Balance and Coordination

Finally, we bring it all together. The timing, rhythm, and coordination of all your body parts create a seamless walking pattern.

Timing: Synchronized movement of all body parts
Rhythm: Consistent, even pace
Adaptation: Ability to adjust to different surfaces and environments

Practice with the camera feature to see how your movement compares to the reference model.

Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk

By analyzing different aspects of your movement, you can start identifying areas for improvement in your walking posture. Even small changes—like adjusting your foot placement or enhancing core stability—can lead to healthier habits that support long-term mobility and well-being. Every step you take matters.

Conclusion

Analyzing your walking patterns isn't just about the numbers. It's about understanding how your body moves and giving you the tools to improve. We used coordinate points from 14 healthy subjects to create a 3-D model that mirrors real human walking.

This animated visualization allows you to see your movements alongside the ideal walking pattern, highlighting your actions as you move. We split the visualizations to focus on specific areas of the body one at a time: foot movement, knee alignment, hip rotation, and more, so you can zoom into each aspect of your gait.

This breakdown helps you understand how each part of your body contributes to your overall walking pattern, making it easier to identify and correct any areas that need improvement. With personalized insights, you can compare your movements to the healthy model and make adjustments to improve your posture and walking efficiency, all in a way that's simple and intuitive.

Thank you for walking with us!