Gait Disorders: Diagnosis
A person’s manner of walking or gait can reveal disturbances involving motor, sensory, visual, vestibular, cerebellar, cognitive, psychological and musculoskeletal systems. For example, people in the later stages of Alzheimer’s often have “reduced gait,” meaning their ability to lift their feet as they walk has diminished.

Your doctor will review your medical history and perform a complete physical and neurological examination that will include an evaluation of your gait. He or she may ask you to walk in a corridor or climb stairs to observe specific features of your walk including:

• Stance, posture, and base (wide or narrow).
• Gait initiation (including start hesitation or freezing).
• Walking speed, stride length, step height, foot clearance.
• Continuity, symmetry, trunk sway, path deviation, arm swing.
• Involuntary movements (e.g., tremor, chorea, dystonia).
• Ability to turn.
• Ability to walk on heels and toes and squat.
• Ability to rise from a chair (without using the arms

Some doctors will time their patient’s walking pace and even videotape their gait so they can monitor changes over time.

The need for diagnostic tests will be determined by the results of the physical examination and your doctor’s observation of any  gait abnormalities.