What Do These 10 Walking Gait Problems Tell Us About Your Health?

1. Waddling — back disease

Waddlers shift their upper body from side to side with each step. A walking pattern with a waddle could indicate a degenerative lower back disease or spinal muscle atrophy, especially in aging patients.

Degenerative disc disease is a type of osteoarthritis of the spine, and it occurs when the discs between the vertebrae wear down or become fragmented or herniated. The nerves in the lower back are squished, which blocks some of the signals between your brain and your buttocks. Your gluteus muscles are unable to lift your pelvis to keep your hips aligned as you walk, which causes a waddling motion.

2. Sticky feet — dementia

Feet appearing to “stick” to the floor — as though pulled by magnets — is often a sign of dementia or Parkinson’s disease. The pattern may begin as just a cautious and unsteady gait — and may be dismissed as a symptom of old age. However, with dementia, you will see the patient’s steps degenerate to the characteristic “magnetic gait.”

Dementia impairs higher-level brain functions, which hinders signals down the spine that coordinate walking movements. Patients with dementia and Parkinson’s tend to slow down and have a difficult time lifting their feet to clear the floor. They may take shorter steps, stoop, or lean forward into their walk as well. Parkinson’s patients may also experience characteristic tremors with their movements.

3. Swaying — brain damage

If a patient looks like they might be drunk while walking, this can alert the doctor to possible brain dysfunction in the area that controls voluntary muscle movement and coordination. The cerebellum may be damaged from excessive alcoholism, a tumor, or even a stroke.

Patients with an ataxic gait may stagger or sway from side to side, have a hard time judging distances or knowing when to stop walking, and may be more susceptible to falling.

4. Scissor gait — damage to the spinal cord

If a patient’s knees cross over each other while walking, they may have damage to the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a critical pathway for the brain to communicate with the legs, and any damage to it can cause stiffness and weakness in the leg muscles. This results in the knees crossing in front of each other and the toes pointing inward with each step.

The scissor gait is associated with spinal cord damage resulting from traumatic injuries — typical in sports or traffic accidents — and with nervous system diseases such as multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy. This gait can put the walker at risk of falls.

5. Dragging the foot — nerve or muscle injury/disorder

Also known as foot-drop, antalgic gait, or steppage gait, dragging the foot results from an inability to flex the foot upwards. This inability could stem from weakness or damage to the muscles or nerves that aid in dorsiflexion. Patients with foot-drop may raise their knees higher than usual to avoid dragging their feet or swing their legs around to get their toes out from under them.

The peroneal nerve, one extension of the sciatic nerve, leads from the back of the knee to the shin. If it’s damaged — such as during surgery or a sports injury — it may cause numbness or paralysis in the top of the foot.

6. Propulsive gait — Parkinson’s disease

Characterized by a stooping, rigid posture, the head and neck are bent forward. Steps tend to become faster and shorter. This gait may indicate Parkinson’s disease.

Propulsive gait can also be caused by medications or toxins (such as carbon monoxide poisoning). So make sure you’re contacting your doctor if your gait has changed.

7. Spastic gait — cerebral palsy/multiple sclerosis

People with cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis generally walk with one leg stiff and dragging in a circular motion. Poor balance is often experienced with this gait.

8. High-stepping gait — spinal abnormality

With this gait, one leg is lifted and then drops, with the toe pointing down and scraping the ground. Spinal problems such as stenosis or a herniated disc may cause this type of gait.

9. Limping gait — joint injury

Favoring one leg often means there is an injury, which can be anything from a strained muscle, sprained ligament, tendonitis, arthritis, or leg length differences.

10. Toe walking — tight muscles

Toe walking is a common gait abnormality, particularly in young children who are just starting to walk.

Many cases of persistent toe walking run in families or are caused by tight muscles. In some cases, toe walking may indicate a neuromuscular disorder such as cerebral palsy, or it could be a sign of developmental dysplasia.