Gait Examination Flashcards
What are the steps in gait examination?
- General observation
- Inspection
- Ask child to walk across room
- Heel-toe walk
- Fog’s test
- Ask child to run across room
- Squat-stand
- Trendelenburg’s sign
- Gower’s sign
What position should child be inspected in gait examination?
Standing
What should be looked for on inspection in gait examination?
- Posture
- Contactures
- Muscle bulk, wasting, and (pseudo)hypertrophy
- Involuntary muscle movements and fasciculations
- Scars
- Limb shortening
- Spine
- Shoes
What should be looked for on the spine in gait examination?
Scars or lesions, e.g. overlying tuft of hair
Why should you examine in shoes in gait examination?
To look for evidence of abnormal wear and tear
What should be looked for when asking the child to walk in gait examination?
- Assess for normal heel-stroke/toe-off phases
- Foot position (varus/valgus)
- Noise of the walk
- Limp
- Arm position and swing
- Abnormal movements
Give an example of when the noise of the walk can give a clue?
Slapping gait is associated with foot drop
What is assessed when asking the child to walk heel-toe?
Cerebellar pathways
What is Fog’s test?
Asking child to walk on outsides of their feet
What is the purpose of Fog’s test?
Exacerbates the signs of subtle hemiplegia
What is the purpose of asking the child to run across the room?
Exacerbates the signs of subtle hemiplegia
What is the purpose of assessing squat-stand?
Assesses for proximal myopathy
What does Trendelenburg’s sign assess for?
Proximal hip muscle weakness
How should Trendelenburg’s sign be elicited?
Ask child to stand in front of you but facing away, and get them to lift one foot off the ground
What normally happens in Trendelenburg’s test?
The pelvis rises on the side of the lifted leg
