Some Causes of Gait Dysfunction
Problem | Possible Causes |
|---|---|
Neurogenic claudication (pain, weakness, and numbness that occurs during walking and lessens during sitting) | Lumbar spinal stenosis |
Difficulty initiating walking | Frontal or subcortical disorders Normal-pressure hydrocephalus Parkinson disease |
Truncal instability (eg, sway) | Arthritis in the hips or knees Cerebellar, subcortical, or basal ganglia dysfunction |
Leaning forward during walking | Osteoporosis with kyphosis |
Step asymmetry (steps of unequal stride length) | Focal neurologic deficit Pain or weakness in one leg Unilateral musculoskeletal deficit |
Step discontinuity (stopping and starting to step) | Fear of falling Frontal lobe disorder |
Step length or height abnormalities | Arthritis Foot problem Stroke |
Stride width abnormalities | Cerebellar disorders Hip disorders Normal-pressure hydrocephalus |