Abnormal Gait

• Cerebellar ataxia - wide-based, staggering, unsteady gait. Romberg test results are positive (client cannot stand with feet together). Seen with cerebellar diseases or alcohol or drug intoxication
• Parkinsonian gait - shuffling gait, turns accomplished in a very stiff manner. Stooped-over posture with flexed hips and knees. Typically seen in Parkinson's disease and drug-induced parkinsonian because of effects on the basal ganglia
• Scissor gait - stiff, short gait; thighs overlap each other with each step. Seen with partial paralysis of the legs
• Spastic Hemiparesis - flexed arm held close to body while client drags toe of leg or circles it stiffly outward and forward. See with lesions of the upper motor neurons in the cortical spinal tract, such as occurs in stroke.
• Footdrop - client lifts foot and knee high with each step, then slaps the foot down hard on the ground. Client cannot walk on heels. Characteristics of disease of the lower motor neurons.