Spinal disorders are a major source of disability worldwide, but assessment of the functional impact of these conditions remains challenging despite advances in imaging techniques, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and surgical options. At the North American Spine Society’s 40th Annual Meeting in Denver, the Interdisciplinary Spine Forum session moderated by Dr. Ram Haddas demonstrated that gait analysis can be a valuable adjunct to traditional assessments of functional impairment in surgical spine patients.

This session brought together surgeons, physical therapists, and biomechanical scientists to advocate for gait analysis as an emerging tool in modern spine care. Speakers presented real-world clinical data demonstrating how gait analysis can identify pathology-specific movement patterns, inform surgical decision-making, guide rehabilitation targets, and quantify postoperative recovery in ways that are not captured by static imaging or PROMs alone. In concert with recent technical advancements, this session outlined a framework for how gait analysis may function as a practical clinical tool with translational relevance for spine care in the coming decade.