Dayton Children’s Gait Lab earns national seal of approval for motion analysis care

Dayton Children’s Hospital is proud to announce that its Gait Lab has received Commission for Motion Laboratory Accreditation (CMLA), affirming its commitment to the highest standards in clinical motion analysis.

CMLA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to enhance the clinical care of persons with movement challenges through peer-review evaluations of clinical motion laboratories using a set of evaluative criteria.” Accreditation means that the lab meets rigorous standards for quality, safety and reliability in collecting and interpreting movement data.

What Dayton Children’s Gait Lab offers
Dayton Children’s Gait Lab, located at the hospital’s south campus in Miamisburg, uses advanced technology to capture three-dimensional movement, muscle activation, force measurements, and video analysis to detect movement patterns and deficits that are not always evident in standard clinical exams. The data from the detailed Gait Lab analysis guides recommended individualized treatment plans including surgery, botox injections, targeted physical/occupational therapy interventions, and orthotic/prosthetic modifications.

The multidisciplinary team consists of an orthopedic surgeon, multiple physical therapists, and a biomechanical engineer. Together, the team reviews the results of the gait lab in detail and provides a comprehensive assessment of how children move and what interventions may help to optimize functional outcomes.

“Achieving CMLA accreditation is a huge milestone for our team,” said Tessa Hill, gait lab engineer at Dayton Children’s. “It means that families can trust that the data we provide is held to the highest national standards.

This gives parents confidence that every recommendation their child receives is backed by precise, reliable information designed to improve their mobility and quality of life.”

Why this accreditation matters
For patients and families, CMLA accreditation ensures that the Gait Lab at Dayton Children’s:

• Follows best practices for data collection, marker placement, motion capture, force plate and pressure mat use, and muscle sensor monitoring.
• Produces high-quality, reproducible, and clinically meaningful reports for referring physicians.
• Provides reliable information to guide treatment decisions, monitor progress, and assess outcomes.

For more information about Dayton Children’s Gait Lab, visit: https://www.childrensdayton.org/patients-visitors/services/orthopedics/programs-and-services/gait-lab-gait-and-motion-analysis