Back-view walking gait analysis is now available for retailers with Ochy.
Walking Analysis lets your store team see how each customer walks, spot left-to-right differences that are hard to see with the naked eye and bring that information into the footwear fitting.
Gait analysis in footwear retail has long been reserved for runners. But everyone walks, and everyone has their own way of moving. With back-view Walking Analysis, every customer who comes into your store, whether they run or not, can discover how they move.
All it takes is a smartphone or a tablet.
What is back-view walking gait analysis?
Walking gait analysis looks at how a person moves while walking.
Walking may look like a simple, repetitive movement, but every step involves the feet, knees, hips and pelvis working together. Filmed from behind, a walk shows how the feet roll at each step, how stable the pelvis is and how the knees and hips move inward.
A back-view walking analysis makes these movements measurable, for both the left and the right side.
What does Ochy measure?
From a short video of the customer walking, filmed from behind, Ochy measures:
- Pronation and supination: how the foot rolls inward or outward once it is on the ground
- Pelvic drop: how much the pelvis drops on one side at each step
- Hip and knee adduction: how far the hips and knees move inward during each step
Each measurement is given for the left and right sides, so asymmetries are easier to identify and to explain to the customer.
Gait analysis is not just for runners
Running stores have used gait analysis for years to help runners find the right shoes. But a customer looking for walking shoes, everyday footwear or hiking boots also has their own way of moving.
Walking Analysis extends gait assessment to every customer, including those who never run. Instead of being reserved for customers buying running shoes, every customer entering the store can benefit from a movement assessment.
A more personalized fitting for every customer
Walking Analysis gives your team an opportunity to understand how each customer moves and give them personalized insights into their gait.
Alongside information such as foot characteristics, intended use, comfort and personal preferences, understanding how a customer walks helps staff build a more complete picture of the person and support the choice of footwear suited to their needs.
Showing customers their own movement also makes the fitting more engaging. The results are visual and easy to explain, and they give staff a clear starting point for the conversation.
Designed for the shop floor
Objective gait assessment has traditionally required dedicated equipment such as 3D motion capture, force plates or instrumented treadmills. These systems are rarely practical in a store.
Ochy Walking Analysis is designed for retail:
- Film the customer walking from behind with a smartphone or tablet
- No markers, wearable sensors or laboratory equipment
- Results that staff can share with the customer during the fitting
The goal is not to create a new process, but to add objective walking insights to the fitting you already offer.
Making gait analysis accessible to every customer
With back-view Walking Analysis, Ochy takes gait assessment beyond running and into every footwear fitting.
Retailers can better understand their customers' gait, provide personalized movement insights and support a more informed choice of footwear, from a short video and without dedicated laboratory equipment.
Gait analysis should not be limited to runners. With Walking Analysis, Ochy helps retailers understand how every customer moves, one step at a time.
