Reliability of Gait Analyst Pro for Measuring Spatial-Temporal Gait Parameters in Pilgrimages

Background: Accurate gait assessments are critical during events such as the Hajj pilgrimage, where participants walk long distances under challenging conditions, particularly elderly individuals with higher mobility risk. Reliable gait analysis tools are essential for determining whether mobility aids or wheelchairs are needed for support. The aim is to assess the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of Gait Analyst Pro under both TM and OG walking conditions. Methodology: Seventy participants were recruited from a primary healthcare centre serving pilgrims. Fifty performed TM walking, and 20 completed OG walking. Gait Analyst Pro measured spatial-temporal gait parameters. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: Higher intra-rater reliability was observed for TM walking (ICCs: 0.789–0.854) compared to OG walking (ICCs: 0.505–0.730). Similarly, inter-rater reliability was stronger for TM assessments (ICC = 0.784) than OG assessments (ICC = 0.503), highlighting the impact of environmental variability. A moderate positive correlation (ρ = 0.368, p = 0.009) was found between TM and OG walking speeds. ANOVA results indicated significant group differences for OG walking speeds (p < 0.001), while differences for TM walking speeds were not significant (p = 0.086). Conclusion: Gait Analyst Pro is highly reliable in controlled TM environments, but variability increases in OG conditions. These findings underscore the need for AI-driven validation of Gait Analyst Pro for both controlled and real-world applications, particularly during the Hajj pilgrimage.