Coordination and control: a dynamical systems approach to the analysis of human gait

This chapter presents the application of dynamical systems theory (DST) to the study of human movement and gait analysis. Our efforts focus on presenting both theory and practical suggestions regarding the analysis and interpretation of results. Moreover, we have demonstrated a major benefit in applying DST to human gait—simplicity. Our intention in constructing this chapter is to facilitate research in those domains, as we feel there is much revolutionary science yet to come from applying DST to the analysis of gait. Furthermore, we strongly advocate the use of this powerful investigative approach by scientists and clinicians who work in gait analysis laboratories or utilize gait analysis to understand the effects of various pathologies on human gait.