A motion control system, comprising: at least one actuator configured for placement on a first side of a joint; at least one actuation member having a proximal end attached to the at least one actuator and having a distal end attached to an anchor element attachment point, the anchor element attachment point configured for placement on a second side of the joint; characterized by a first sensor configured to output signals correlated with or correlatable to a timing of a gait cycle; a second sensor configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the at least one actuation member; and at least one controller configured to: receive the signals output from the first sensor and the second sensor; correlate the signals received from the first sensor from a current step with a timing in the gait cycle; monitor the signals received from the second sensor from the current step to detect a timing at which the tensile force crosses a predetermined threshold and a timing at which a peak tensile force is achieved; automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle starting at the timing at which the tensile force crosses the predetermined threshold or after a delay, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the at least one actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during at least a second portion of the gait cycle starting at the timing at which the peak tensile force is achieved or after a delay, to reduce a tensile force at the anchor element attachment point to a level at or below the predetermined threshold tensile force to avoid generating a detrimental moment about the joint. at least one actuator configured for placement on a first side of a joint; at least one actuation member having a proximal end attached to the at least one actuator and having a distal end attached to an anchor element attachment point, the anchor element attachment point configured for placement on a second side of the joint; characterized by a first sensor configured to output signals correlated with or correlatable to a timing of a gait cycle; a second sensor configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the at least one actuation member; and at least one controller configured to: receive the signals output from the first sensor and the second sensor; correlate the signals received from the first sensor from a current step with a timing in the gait cycle; monitor the signals received from the second sensor from the current step to detect a timing at which the tensile force crosses a predetermined threshold and a timing at which a peak tensile force is achieved; automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle starting at the timing at which the tensile force crosses the predetermined threshold or after a delay, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the at least one actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during at least a second portion of the gait cycle starting at the timing at which the peak tensile force is achieved or after a delay, to reduce a tensile force at the anchor element attachment point to a level at or below the predetermined threshold tensile force to avoid generating a detrimental moment about the joint. receive the signals output from the first sensor and the second sensor; correlate the signals received from the first sensor from a current step with a timing in the gait cycle; monitor the signals received from the second sensor from the current step to detect a timing at which the tensile force crosses a predetermined threshold and a timing at which a peak tensile force is achieved; automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle starting at the timing at which the tensile force crosses the predetermined threshold or after a delay, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the at least one actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during at least a second portion of the gait cycle starting at the timing at which the peak tensile force is achieved or after a delay, to reduce a tensile force at the anchor element attachment point to a level at or below the predetermined threshold tensile force to avoid generating a detrimental moment about the joint.