09/18/2026
FROM REFLECTIVE MARKERS TO AI: HOW MOVEMENT ANALYSIS HAS CHANGED FITNESS
Thirty years ago, sophisticated 3D movement analysis was largely confined to university biomechanics labs, medical centers and elite sports programs. Athletes and patients were covered with reflective markers while multiple cameras captured how their bodies moved. When I was in graduate school this was an arduous task and it took many hours of collecting film, analyzing film and making a determination of results. This was very labor intensive.
Today, that technology has taken an incredible leap forward.
Modern markerless 3D movement analysis can help us objectively evaluate mobility, balance, symmetry and movement patternsβwithout covering someone in markers or sending them to a research laboratory.
At Optimal Health & Performance, weβre now using VALD HumanTrak technology to bring this type of science-based movement assessment into everyday fitness, performance and healthy-aging programs. I am excited to bring this technology to our program and help anyone.
And this isn't just about elite athletes.
For someone in their 40s, 50s, 60s or beyond, better movement can mean continuing to lift, golf, hike, travel, play with the grandkids and simply stay active and independent.
Our latest article looks at the fascinating evolution of movement scienceβfrom the early biomechanics labs of the 1990s to today's AI-assisted 3D technologyβand why we believe objective movement assessment can be an important part of individualized fitness.
Read the full article:
https://www.ohponline.net/post/from-reflective-markers-to-ai-the-evolution-of-3d-human-movement-analysis-revolutionizing-fitness
Don't just exercise. Understand how you move.