Gait dysfunctions change the pattern of how you walk (your gait). Walking can require more effort and energy, and add stress to other parts of the body if you have a gait dysfunction. Some gait changes are related to an underlying medical condition, such as:

• Disorders involving the inner ear.
• Nervous system disorders such as Parkinson disease.
• Muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy.
• Muscle, joint, or bone conditions or injuries.

Types of gait dysfunction include:

Antalgic. This type of gait dysfunction is often caused by bearing weight on a painful leg. It can be related to arthritis or a traumatic injury and results in limping. People with this type take slow and short steps. They quickly try to shift their weight off the sore leg, ankle, or foot, and back onto the unaffected leg.

Ataxic. A person with ataxic gait has inconsistent and erratic foot placement. To compensate they may have a wide-based stance (feet wide apart). It is often seen in people with:

• A condition of the cerebellum (a region at the back of the brain).
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Some types of stroke.
• Conditions with a major loss of sensation (feeling) in the feet or legs.
• Drug or alcohol intoxication. This may result in a temporary gait impairment that resolves once the substance is eliminated. Physical therapists do not address this type.

Parkinsonian. This type is often related to Parkinson disease. It results in people taking short, shuffled steps. Difficulty starting or stopping walking can accompany this dysfunction.

Steppage. This type occurs in people with “foot drop” (when a person is unable to lift their foot from the ankle). The foot will “slap” the ground when stepping onto the foot. A person will need to lift the affected leg higher, so the toe clears the ground when walking. Steppage is linked to conditions such as:

• Lumbar radiculopathy (a range of symptoms produce by a pinched or compressed nerve in the spine).
• Neuropathy (damage or loss of function in nerves causing numbness, muscle weakness or pain, often in the hands or feet).
• Muscle weakness related to stroke.

Vestibular unsteadiness. This pattern causes people to walk unsteadily, often falling toward one side. It is often linked to:

• Vertigo.
• Meniere’s disease (an inner ear condition).
• Labyrinthitis (a type of inner ear disorder in one ear).

Waddling. People with this type of dysfunction may walk on their toes, and sway side to side. It often arises from conditions such as:

• Muscular dystrophy.
• Myopathy (muscular diseases).
• Marked weakness of the large muscles of the hip and thigh.

Slow gait. This type of gait pattern is an overall slow speed of walking. It is often associated with:

• Age-related changes.
• Fear of falling; cautious walking.

Note: These are only a few of the many possible gait dysfunctions. If you suspect you are walking differently, contact a physical therapist for a gait assessment.