Gait Analysis (Basic)

Question 1

head position observations

Answer 1

tilted to the left or right
rotated to either side
shifted anteriorly
changes during the different phases
of the gait cycle

Question 2

head position abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 2

LLD, shoulder or neck injury, muscle spasms or tightness

or natural difference in muscle bulk from dominant to non-dominant sides

Question 3

shoulders and scapula observations

Answer 3

are they level
if one side is higher than the other
if the difference changes throughout the gait cycle

Question 4

shoulders and scapula abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 4

LLD, shoulder or neck injury, muscle
spasms or tightness

or a natural difference in muscle
bulk from dominant to non-dominant sides

Question 5

arm swing observations

Answer 5

do the arms swing equally
if one arm looks longer or is swinging a greater distance in the sagittal plane or is swinging further
from the body in the frontal plane

Question 6

arm swing abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 6

lumbar shifts or spinal deformities
muscle inequality due to injury shoulder injury

or dominant vs. non-dominant side

Question 7

trunk position observations

Answer 7

if the entire trunk has a side bend to the left or right
if the waist contours are symmetrical curvature of the spine
trunk bending posteriorly or anteriorly

Question 8

trunk position abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 8

if a curvature of the spine such as scoliosis or kyphosis is present
inadequate gluteus maximus strength
to stop the trunk from bending posteriorly
inadequate quadricep strength to stop the trunk from anteriorly bending

Question 9

hip and pelvis observations

Answer 9

pelvis vertical shift
pelvis lateral
pelvis forward rotation

Question 10

hip and pelvis abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 10

hip hiking or vaulting gait patterns due to LLD, or limited hip, knee or ankle flexion
Trendelenburg gait due to gluteus medius weakness, leg length difference or scoliosis
increased rotation on the swing leg due to pain, stiffness or limited motion of the hip on the stance leg

Question 11

hip only observations

Answer 11

equal hip flexion
excessive hip flexion
excessive hip internal rotation

Question 12

hip only abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 12

excessive hip flexion in a steppage gait pattern
excessive hip internal rotation related to increased subtalar joint pronation, femoral anteversion, or weak gluteus medius or weak hip external rotators

Question 13

knee observations

Answer 13

varus / valgus

Question 14

knee abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 14

congenital or compensation for

degenerative knee problems, past trauma or LLD

Question 15

tibia observations

Answer 15

excessive rotation esp. compared to foot motion

Question 16

tibia abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 16

TBC

in-toeing / out-toeing

Question 17

heel observations

Answer 17

heel strike, position of calcaneus at foot strike
varus, valgus or neutral calcaneus
midfoot or forefoot strikers

Question 18

heel abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 18

TBC LLD, flexible flatfoot

Question 19

foot from heel strike through stance phase observations

Answer 19

when the pronation begins – beginning of stance phase or after heel strike
underpronate or supinate (navicular tubercle reference point)

Question 20

foot from heel strike through stance phase abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 20

TBC tight Achilles tendon

foot or leg injury

Question 21

foot at toe-off observations

Answer 21

propulsion from hallux in addition to the 2nd and 3rd lesser toes
excessively medially off hallux
excessively laterally off the lateral lesser toes
MTP joints dorsiflexing

Question 22

foot at toe-off abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 22

TBC hallux deformities

Question 23

base of gait observations

Answer 23

narrow, wide, normal

Question 24

base of gait abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 24

Narrow = typically neurological or neuromuscular pathologies
Wider = compensation related
to pathology/illness such as dizziness, unsteady balance, decreased sensation on the soles of the feet (neuropathy), ataxic gait patterns, or aging

Question 25

step length observations

Answer 25

normal, shortened

L vs R

Question 26

step length abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 26

injury/pathology, muscular imbalances, fatigue, advancing age,
disease such as Parkinson’s

Question 27

angle of foot in the transverse plane relative to the leg observations

Answer 27

Excessive abduction

Excessive adduction

Question 28

angle of foot in the transverse plane relative to the leg abnormal findings can suggest what conditions

Answer 28

Excessive abduction = lack of
ankle dorsiflexion, weakness of the hip musculature, or limitation in hip internal rotation.
Excessive adduction = hip musculature imbalance or limitation in hip external rotation

Question 29

When should duration of walking be increased/decreased?

Answer 29

Decreased = patient is in a
great deal of pain
Increase = patient has a unique or unusual gait pattern that requires more time to make observations

Question 30

Should patient be encouraged to change cadence

Answer 30

Depends on the comfort of the patient and the condition that they are presenting with

If permitted, change up cadence while walking to see if this
changes gait pattern

Question 31

Footwear during assessment

Answer 31

If footwear is contributing to patient symptoms, ask them to put their
shoes on and compare their gait with and without footwear

Question 32

If patient is having trouble relaxing or gait is guarded

Answer 32

DISTRACTION for normal gait

trouble relaxing = make small talk
with them, or ask more questions about their problems

guarded/tense gait = ask them to perform a task

Question 33

2 benefits to recording all findings (esp. outside of normal)

Answer 33

1 give you clues as to why a patient is functioning the way they do

2 for comparison if the patient returns to see you in upcoming years