Concurrent Validity of the VirtuSense® Gait Analysis System for the Quantification of Spatial and Temporal Parameters of Gait

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(1): 934-940, 2018. The VirtuSenseR (VS) is a new single camera 3D movement-capturing device that has gait analysis capabilities in its arsenal of functional programs. The Gait Analysis System with the VS has not been formally validated. The purpose of the study was to assess the concurrent validity of the VirtuSenseR (VS) Gait Analysis System by comparing it to two standards, the GAITRiteR (GR) computerized gait mat and manual pedograph (PG). Twenty-seven healthy, young adults performed 4 walking trials at a self-selected pace on a level surface. In 3 trials, stride length, step length, and velocity were collected simultaneously from the VS and GR. In the first trial, stride length and step length data were collected simultaneously by the VS, GR, and PG. A high inter-class correlation coefficient was found between all 3 methods for each gait parameter measured: left stride length (ICC=.987), right stride length (ICC=.983), left step length (ICC=.983), right step length (ICC=.971). A significant correlation (p<.001) was found among each gait parameter mean (trials 1-4) for the VS and GR. The mean difference between VS-GR foot fall parameters revealed a small difference of no more than 1.56 cm. VS-GR velocity revealed a 14.8 cm/sec mean difference which can be explained by the difference when the devices captured the velocity. The VirtuSenseR Gait Analysis System, as compared to the GAITRiteR and pedograph, demonstrates good concurrent validity for measuring gait parameters (stride length, step length, and velocity). Clinicians using this device for clinical gait assessment should have an assurance the data collected for these parameters are valid.