Gait cycle Flashcards
structure of exam
screen
gait assessment
special tests
Romberg test (sensory ataxia)
examine shoes
screening questions
any problems with standing, walking, or if they have any pain
dress down to underwear (or T-shirt and shorts) and remove shoes
stand up and inspect posture from front and side (truncal ataxia may = midline
cerebellar lesion)
6 phases of gait cycle
heel strike
foot flat –> weight transferred to this leg
mid-stance –> weight alligned & balanced on this leg
heel off –> heel leaves floor with toes still in contact
toe off –> toes leaves floor
swing –> leg swings forward for next heel strike
inspect as px walks to wall & back
gait cycle itself
range of movement
limping
turning
trendelenburg gait
waddling gait
shoes
special tests to ask px to do
walk heel-to-toe
stand on toes & walk a few steps
stand on heels & walk a few steps
squat
run
test for sensory ataxia
ask px to put feet together, hands out, palms facing up
marked swaying = cerebellar/vestibular ataxia
Romberg +ve = swaying when eyes closed –> sensory ataxia
trendelenburg caused by … and a sign of
unilateral weakness of hip abductor muscles
sup glut lesion
waddling gait is due to … and is a sign of
bilateral abductor muscle weakness
muscular dystrophy
ask px to … to test for cerebellar/vestibular lesion
walk heel-to-toe
ask px to … to test for S1 lesion
stand on toes & walk a few steps
ask px to … to test L4/5 lesions
stand on heels
ask px to … to test for proximal muscle weakness
squat
list of types of gait (just to be aware of
trendelenberg
genu varum (bow legs)
genu valgum (knock knees)
pas planus (flat feet)
in-toeing
out-toeing
toe-walking
hemiplegic gait
diplegic gait
neuropathic gait
myopathic gait
choreiform gait
ataxic gait
parkinosnian gait
