Motion Lab

For a child, teen or young adult with a movement disorder, something as simple as taking a step can feel impossible. Here at Cook Children's, our Motion Lab is helping them make great strides.

Our breakthrough Motion Lab is part of Cook Children's Movement Disorder program and features a highly specialized team with years of expertise in working with children, teens and young adults with a variety of movement disorders.

No two people are alike. And kids, teens and young adults present unique challenges because their bodies are going through a lot of changes. The Motion Lab at Cook Children's is designed to meet these challenges. Equipped with amazing technology that enables our specialty team to analyze the unique movement of each individual patient, the Motion Lab offers new possibilities in the treatment of movement disorders.

Motion Lab specialists start by analyzing your child's individual movement challenges. Your child will be assessed for range of motion, motor control, strength, alignment and muscle tone issues.

Using advanced video with motion capture and specialized monitoring equipment, motion analysis technology creates images while your child is moving. To do this, small sensors and reflective balls are placed on your child's body. Specialized cameras and motion sensors track your child's movement as he or she walks through the Motion Lab.

For children who aren't able to walk on their own, specially designed equipment makes it possible for them to be analyzed. This lets us see how the muscles, nerves and joints are performing. Data on energy expenditure, pressure and movement patterns are also tracked. When we combine this information with the patient's initial diagnosis, we are able to provide a more detailed diagnosis and treatment plan for each individual patient we care for.

Once a treatment plan is determined, patients typically are scheduled for follow-up visits in the Motion Lab to track progress and determine if any adjustments need to be made.

Motion analysis is also an integral part of our evaluation and follow-up of patients undergoing complex orthopedic surgery or neurosurgical procedures such as dorsal rhizotomy or deep brain stimulation.

Our breakthrough Motion Lab is special, not only because it's one of only a few in the nation, but because it focuses on growing and developing bodies. As part of Cook Children's Movement Disorder program, our motion lab helps us better serve patients with complex conditions that create challenges in body movement due to congenital disorders or acquired conditions from illness or injury.

Mom, Sydney Chambers, talks about the special treatment her son Walt received at Cook Children's Motion Lab.

Led by Warren Marks, M.D., the Motion Lab sees children, teens and young adults who have a variety of complex movement disorders, including:

Cerebral palsy
Dystonia
Traumatic brain and spine injuries
Spinal cord disorders including spina bifida
Orthopedic problems such as:
- Amputations
- Limb-length discrepancy
- Misaligned bones and foot abnormalities

Cook Children's offers some of the most advanced, kid-friendly care in the nation. With leading-edge imaging and diagnostic capabilities, our specialists are able to better treat patients and help them get back to doing what they do best: being kids.

We're here to help.

If your child has been diagnosed, you probably have lots of questions. We can help. If you would like to schedule an appointment, refer a patient or speak to our staff, please call our offices at 682-303-2650.

Motion Lab

Leaps and bounds ahead of the rest

Who we treat

We're here to help.