Hemiplegic gait
A hemiplegic gait is generally caused by a lesion in the central nervous system, a.k.a. a stroke, resulting in spasticity and unilateral weakness. Patients with this type of abnormal gait exhibit extension of the lower limb and spastic flexion of the upper limb.
Because of the extension of the lower limb, the leg becomes elongated, meaning patients must circumduct their leg to control their feet from dragging on the ground. Features that may be associated with a hemiplegic gait include:
Advanced tone with clasp-knife spasticity
-Reduced power
-Hyperreflexia with or without clonus
-Upgoing plantars
-Sensory deficit: Sensory loss depends on the site of the lesion in the nervous system
Causes include:
-Stroke
-Multiple sclerosis
-Space-occupying lesion
-Trauma
One Response
I am surprised that your list of reasons for gait abnormalities did not include normal pressure hydrocephalus. I started involuntarily shuffling my feet and had diminished stride In my early seventies. When I took Anatomy and Physiology in college, the instructor told us that some people with brain injuries could not stride more than 12 inches when walking. In addition to stride changes, I found it increasingly difficult to organize and reason. I couldn’t put together a report for my work. A CT scan revealed a significantly enlarged third ventricle. I had an ETV performed by image-guided surgery to form a drainage path through scar tissue that blocked the flow of CNS in my third ventricle at OHSU in Portland. I got immediate relief and have no gait or mental confusion symptoms for the last 10 years.