Walking/Gait Abnormalities
The pattern of how a person walks is called the gait. Many
different types of gait abnormalities are produced unconsciously.
Most, but not all, are due to some physical malfunction.
Some gait abnormalities are so characteristic that they have
been given descriptive names:
- propulsive
gait: characterized by a stooped, rigid posture,
with the head and neck bent forward
- scissors
gait: characterized by legs flexed slightly at
the hips and knees, giving the appearance of crouching, with the
knees and thighs hitting or crossing in a scissors-like
movement
- spastic
gait: characterized by a stiff, foot-dragging
walk caused by one-sided, long-term, muscle contraction
- steppage
gait: characterized by foot drop where the foot
hangs with the toes pointing down, causing the toes to scrape the
ground while walking
- waddling
gait: characterized by a distinctive duck-like
walk that may appear in childhood or later in life
Abnormal gait may be caused by disease in many different areas
of the body. Typical groupings might consist of:
-
vestibular: the inner ear is responsible for
maintaining balance; damage results in vertigo
- central nervous
system: diseases of the brain that cause
muscular problems resulting in gait disturbance such as multiple
sclerosis and cerebral palsy
- spinal cord
abnormalities: disease, trauma, degeneration)
peripheral nerve diseases (nerves from the spinal cord to the
muscles may be damaged by disease or trauma and result in gait
abnormalities
- degenerative muscle
diseases: muscular dystrophy, myotonic
dystrophy, myositis
- skeletal abnormalities
and disease:
-
arthritis:
- skin
conditions: plantar warts, bunions, ingrown
toenails, ulcers
- toxic
reactions: alcohol, drugs, toxins
Common causes
Abnormal Gait in General
- trauma
- foot problems (such as a callus, corn, ingrown toenail, wart,
pain, skin ulcer, swelling, spasms)
- chondromalacia patellae
- fracture
- hemophilia
- immunization (soreness in the leg or buttocks)
- legs that are different lengths
- myositis
- tight or uncomfortable shoes
- shin splints
- infection
- tendinitis
- torsion of the testis
- conversion disorder (a psychological disorder)
Causes of Specific Gaits
Propulsive gait:
- carbon monoxide poisoning
- manganese poisoning
- Parkinson's disease drugs including phenothiazines,
haloperidol, thiothixene, loxapine, metoclopramide, and
metyrosine (usually drug effects are temporary)
Scissors gait:
- cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- cervical spondylosis with myelopathy (a problem with the
vertebrae in the neck)
- liver failure (hepatic failure)
- multiple sclerosis
- pernicious anemia
- spinal cord trauma
- spinal cord tumor
- syphilitic meningomyelitis
- syringomyelia
Spastic gait:
- brain abscess
- brain tumor
- cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- head trauma
- multiple sclerosis
Steppage gait:
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- herniated lumbar disk
- multiple sclerosis
- peroneal muscle atrophy
- peroneal nerve trauma
- poliomyelitis
- polyneuropathy
- spinal cord trauma
Waddling gait:
- congenital hip dysplasia
- muscular dystrophy
- spinal muscle atrophy
Note: There may be other causes of gait abnormalities. This
list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in
order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include
unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may
vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as
on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as quality,
time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and
associated complaints.
http:// www.pspinformation.com
/disease/otherdiseases/abnormal_gait.shtml
Document last
modified:01/19/08 06:40:45 PM