The mechanics of human gait involve synchronization of the skeletal, neurological and muscular systems of the human body. This article will enhance the gait assessment abilities and processes of the novice clinician by providing a brief overview of normal gait followed by identification of pathological and pathomechanical gait patterns. Also presented is a systematic approach to clinical gait assessment that emphasizes the need for the development of clinically cost- and time-effective tools to document and quantify data in the assessment of human gait.