Walking and Limping: A Study of Normal and Pathological Walking

The intricate dynamics of normal and abnormal walking render even the most eloquent and precise descriptions inert. Diagrams and photographs fail to express adequately the rhythmic integration of a series of elementary motions which result in translatory progression of the body. These rapid simultaneous events often exceed observational capacity of the human eye. Cinematography not only adds dimensions of velocity and acceleration to gait studies but also produces a record which "slows down or stops motion" to allow incisive analysis of various components of gait.

Based on classical methods of observation and cinematography, the authors present a most comprehensive elementary dissertation on gait. They understand inherent limitations of such a book. Excellent sketches (wisely chosen over photographs) surmount some obstacles by depicting new observations and reenforcing old ones. Part 2, on pathological walking, effectively describes abnormal gaits, their effect on uninvolved parts of the body, and compensatory mechanisms used to