If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP), you know how important it is to understand exactly how the condition affects their movement and walking. Getting the right diagnosis early means better therapy outcomes and smarter decisions about treatment. But here's the challenge: the gold standard for assessing gait—the way children walk—usually requires expensive 3D motion analysis technology that isn't widely available in most clinics, especially in Southeast Asia. A new study published in Frontiers in Public Health suggests there's a better, more accessible solution: combining simple video observation with artificial intelligence.
What the Research Found
Researchers tested a tool called the Edinburgh Visual Gait Score (EVGS)—essentially a checklist that trained professionals can use to observe and score a child's walking patterns from standard video recordings. They paired this with machine learning (a type of artificial intelligence) to classify children into different gait subtypes.
The results were encouraging. When doctors focused on specific, detailed observations (like how high a child lifts their knee during the swing phase of walking, or the position of their ankle), the AI model was able to correctly identify gait patterns about 64% of the time—significantly better than simpler methods. More importantly, the system was particularly good at identifying certain severe gait patterns (achieving 89% accuracy for one type), which is exactly what helps clinicians decide on the right interventions.
The beauty of this approach? It doesn't require expensive equipment, fancy laboratory setups, or specialized motion-capture technology. It just needs a smartphone, a trained eye, and a computer algorithm—tools that are increasingly available even in resource-limited settings.
What This Means for Singapore and Asian Families
In Singapore and across Asia, families often face long waits for specialist appointments and high costs for advanced diagnostic testing. This research opens a door to faster initial assessments. Physiotherapists and pediatricians could use EVGS video scoring as a preliminary screening tool to identify which children need more detailed testing—or to monitor progress over time without repeated visits to expensive centers.
This is particularly valuable for families in less urban areas or in neighboring countries where access to advanced pediatric rehabilitation services is limited. A child's gait assessment could potentially be done at a local clinic, with the video sent to a specialist for AI-assisted analysis. This bridges the gap between access and expertise.
However, it's important to understand that this isn't a replacement for comprehensive assessment—it's a helpful first step that can guide which children need more detailed evaluation and which rehabilitation strategies might work best.
Three Steps You Can Take
- Ask your physiotherapist or doctor about gait assessment tools: If your child hasn't had a formal gait analysis, ask whether EVGS or similar video-based screening is available at your clinic. It's non-invasive, quick, and can provide valuable baseline information.
- Keep video records of your child's walking: Take short, clear videos of your child walking from different angles at home. These can be useful for tracking changes over months and sharing with your therapy team to discuss progress between appointments.
- Discuss gait subtype classification with your team: Understanding which type of gait pattern your child has helps guide therapy goals. Ask your physiotherapist to explain your child's specific gait characteristics and how they'll target therapy to address them.