ABNORMAL GAIT

(excluding orthopaedic causes)

hemiplegia (cerebrovascular accident involving motor cortex or pyramidal tract)

parkinsonism (shuffling / festinant)

cerebellar ataxia (wide-based gait; staggers to side of lesion):

hereditary degenerations

sensory ataxia [dorsal column involvement; Rombergism = ataxia worse on closing eyes]:

multiple sclerosis

foot-drop (high-stepping; toe scrapes ground):

heavy metal poisoning (rare)

waddling gait (wasting disorders of pelvic girdle or proximal lower limb muscles; positive Trendelenburg sign):

muscular dystrophies

spastic paraparesis ('scissors gait'):

any cause of cord compression or transverse myelitis