Common types of functional gait disorder | Typical features |
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Weakness/dragging of one leg | Forefoot kept in contact with the ground during all phases of gait—often with hip externally or internally rotated. Positive Hoover's sign (weakness of hip extension that returns to normal with contralateral hip flexion against resistance). |
Truncal ataxia | Tendency to fall in all directions with upper body swaying and correcting leg movements. Ataxia improved by motor distraction tasks (eg, using phone, recognising numbers written on back). |
‘Walking on ice’ gait | Short slow steps with hips and knees slightly flexed and arms outstretched. Often associated with fear of falls. May be improved by asking the patient to walk backwards, jog or up stairs. |
Other types of gait
Other clinical features
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