Published on: 5/26/2025
A gait abnormality means a person walks differently than expected. Doctors diagnose it by watching how a person walks, asking questions about pain or feelings, and sometimes doing more tests.
Gait abnormality is a term used when someone's walking pattern is different from normal. It can happen because of pain, muscle weakness, depression, or problems with the brain and nerves. For example, if a person has an antalgic gait, they might walk in a way that avoids pain, which is noticed when doctors observe the person walking. The process begins when a doctor asks the patient about their history and any pain or other symptoms. Then, the doctor carefully watches the way the person walks during a physical exam and performs a physical exam. Sometimes, doctors see signs that the abnormal gait might be linked to mental health, like depression or stress, so they also ask about how the person is feeling. If needed, additional tests or imaging studies might be done to look at the muscles, bones, or brain more closely. Overall, the diagnosis is based on a mix of talking with the patient, watching the pattern of their steps, and sometimes using extra tests to find out why the walking pattern is unusual.
(References)
Briggs R, Carey D, Kenny RA, Kennelly SP. What is the Longitudinal Relationship between Gait Abnormalities and Depression in a Cohort of Community-Dwelling Older People? Data From the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2018 Jan;26(1):75-86. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2017.08.012. Epub 2017 Aug 24. PMID: 28967608.
Nonnekes J, Růžička E, Serranová T, Reich SG, Bloem BR, Hallett M. Functional gait disorders: A sign-based approach. Neurology. 2020 Jun 16;94(24):1093-1099. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000009649. Epub 2020 Jun 1. PMID: 32482839; PMCID: PMC7455329.
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