The original descriptions of the CGM referred to it as “a data collection and reduction technique” (Davis, 1981 and an “an algorithm for computing lower extremity joint motion” (Kadaba, 1990). There is a strong argument that, as originally described, the CGM, is not actually a biomechanical model. This page thus aims to describe the concepts in a manner which is consistent with both the original description and a contemporary understanding of biomechanical modelling.

The mode is best described in five stages:

1. basic kinematic chain
2. Definition of the segments
3. Description of placement of markers
4. Description of model outputs
5. Variants