Systems and methods for analyzing lower body movement in low stress and loaded states and selecting footwear are disclosed herein. A system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a plurality of markers and/or sensors and a controller. The markers or sensors can be used to detect lower body movement of a human subject, including inward and outward knee motion and tibia rotation. The controller can be configured to record lower body movement of the human subject in an unloaded state and a loaded state. The controller can further be configured to determine a trend corresponding to a change in the lower body movement from the unloaded state to the loaded state. Based on this trend, the system can select footwear characteristics that counteract any trend away from the lower body movement in the unloaded state.