1. Gait Assessment: An Integral Part of the
Comprehensive Balance Exam?
Kenneth R. Bouchard, PhD, FASHA
Ashley M. Hallberg, AuD
ASHA San Diego
Session 0120 11-17-2011
2. Outcomes
To recognize that gait can and should be an
important part of the balance evaluation
To understand aspects of gait assessment that is
straightforward and reliable
To be aware that quantification of data that allows
following patients over time is a potential positive
aspect of a comprehensive assessment
3. The Balance Patient
More and More of our Clinical Caseload
The basis can be peripheral vestibular but
usually it is not
What is this patient’s concern?
4. The Balance System
Vestibular: Inner Ear (labrynthine)
– Function
– Peripheral Vestibular System
SSCs, Otoliths, Labyrinthine, Vestibular nerve- inferior/superior
– Common vestibular disorders
Visual: Eyes (vision)
– Function
– Visual disorders
Somatosensory: Sensors in legs, muscles, and joints
– Function
– Abnormalities of the somatosensory system
5. The Balance System
Assessment of the balance system
– VNG
– Rotational Tests
– Oculomotor Tests
– Posturography
– VEMPS and ECochG
What does each test offer?
Use of multiple tests for assessment
6. GAIT & MOBILITY
Much can be determined by a patient’s gait
Normal gait requires a complex combination
of functions
– Neural
– Muscular
– Multisensory Input
– Related functions
7. Center of Gravity in quiet stance
At the middle of the hips
Projects just forward of the
ankle joint
Vertical projection should
fall within the base of
support (outer edge of the
feet)
Normal sway:
1 cm anterior-posterior
0.5 cm side to side
12. Three strategies to move COG
relative to base of support
during postural sway
13. Elements of Normal Gait
– Posture ~ pt walking vertically or hunched over?
– Arm Swing
– Length of Stride ~ is pt taking small steps vs long steps?
– Base ~ how close are feet to each other?
– Rhythm and Propulsion
– Associated Movements ~ are there accompanying
truncal movements? What else is going on with the
body as the pt is walking?
– Muscle Coordination and Maintenance of Equilibrium
14. The Gait Cycle
Floor Contact Patterns
Cycle Divisions
Gait Cycle Timing
Stride and Step
15. Phases of Gait
Loading Response
Mid Stance
Terminal Stance
Preswing
Obtained from Yahoo! Images (2011)
17. The Walk
“Walking uses a repetitious sequence of
limb motions to simultaneously move the
body forward while also maintaining stance
stability”
(Perry and Burnfield, 2010)
18. Causes (differential diagnosis) of
Gait Disorders
Neurologic
Muscular Disorders
Physical (leg or foot) Abnormalities
– Arthritis, peripheral vascular disease
Environmental / Body Influences
– Uneven ground surface, Poor vision, obesity, back pain
Dementia
Net Impact of aging alone
Psychological Influence
– Depression, anxiety, substance abuse
21. Cerebellar Ataxia
Wide-based with truncal instability and
lateral veering
Unsteadiness and irregularity of steps
(seen in midline cerebellar disease such as
MS and certain tumors)
23. Vertiginous Gait (vestibular gait)
Unsteady with difficulty maintaining balance
Patient will often reach for wall or stationary
object to help balance
Often worse with movement of the head
25. Antalgic (limping) Gait
Abnormal gait due to pain, such as a limp
Examples may include peripheral
neuropathy, herniated disk, fracture, or
arthritis with pain in ankles or knees.
27. Myopathic (Waddling) Gait
Patient is unable to stabilize the pelvis as
they lift leg to step forward
Pelvis tilts toward the non-weight bearing
leg, resulting in a waddle type of gait
(seen with muscular diseases)
29. Diplegic Gait
Spasticity in the lower extremities greater than
the upper extremities
Lower extremities are circumducted and the
upper extremities are held in a mid or low
guard position
(usually seen with bilateral periventricular lesions)
31. Neuropathic Gait
High stepping gait (attempt to avoid
dragging toe on the ground)
Most often seen in peripheral nerve disease
where the distal lower extremity is most
affected
37. Elderly Gait
Slower gait
Smaller steps
Slightly stooped posture
Broader base
(vague boundary between normal and abnormal)
38. Inclusion of Gait Analysis as Part of
the Vestibular or Balance
Assessment
Why is it important for audiologists to
assess gait?
How does gait analysis fall into the
vestibular and balance assessment?
39. Fukuda, Romberg, and Gans
Sensory Organization Performance
Tests commonly included in a clinically
oriented assessment of gait
40. Fukuda
– Eyes closed hands out
– 50 Steps
– 45 degrees (affected side)
Romberg
– Feet together and arms hanging by sides
– Patient observed for 1 minute with eyes open and then with eyes
closed
– Near fall is a positive test
Gans Sensory Organization Performance
– Conditions compared: thick foam with eyes open or closed, standing
on the floor, as well as marching
– Vestibular vs central pathology indicated
41. mCTSIB
Modified clinical test of sensory integration of balance
1. Firm- Eyes Open (FIRM-EO)
2. Firm- Eyes Closed (FIRM-EC)
3. Foam- Eyes Open (FOAM-EO)
4. Foam- Eyes Closed (FOAM-EC)
46. GAITRite System
GAITRite was created in 1995
It consists of a portable electronic walkway
carpet with embedded pressure sensors
It is automatically measure and analyze
SPATIAL “distance” and TEMPORAL “timing”
parameters.
47.
48. Clinical Applications
GAITRite can be used clinically for a variety of different
applications, including test-retest measures
Example 1: Pre-Post measures showing improvement
following vestibular therapy in a patient with a unilateral
vestibulopathy
49. Clinical Applications
Example 2: Quantified measures in normal
pressure hydrocephalus patients (often dramatic
change in gait observed with a large volume
lumbar drain)
52. Posturography
Test of function
– 3 subtests
Adaptation
Motor control
Sensory organization test
53. Posturography vs. GAITRite
Posturography isolates various balance
subsystems to determine specific areas of
dysfunction
GAITRite provides a variety of measures
related to the process of ambulation
54. MCT and GAITRite
Motor control is a component of the overall
balance
Gait is multi-factorial and abnormalities
can include many components.
55. Recent Study
Posturography and GAITRite do assess different
aspects of balance as 25% of patients were
abnormal on one test or the other but not both
There is a strong relationship between the
observed motor control findings and abnormalities
seen in gait
57. Motor System Outputs
Reflex Response
Spinal cord level
Triggered by external stimuli
Rapid, stereotypical response
35 to 40 millisecond latency
Regulate local muscle properties
Postural Evoked Response Test (PER)
58. Automatic Postural Response
Brainstem and cortical level responses
Balance first line of defense
Triggered by external stimuli
Slower, 90 to 100 milliseconds
Coordinated patterns
Highly adaptable to conditions
Motor Control Test (MCT)
Adaptation Test (ADT)
Motor System Outputs
59. Effects of Aging
Impaired vision
Stiffness of joints and muscles
Muscle weakness
Slowed reaction time
Loss of postural reflexes
Cognitive impairment
63. Conclusions: Findings support a strong
association between the severity of age-
related white matter changes and the severity
of gait and motor compromise.
Physical activity might have the potential to
reduce the risk of limitations in mobility.
Age Related Changes
Baezner, H. et al. (2008)
64. Summary
Gait assessment will continue to become an
increasingly important component of the
comprehensive balance exam
With the use of computerized quantitative gait
measures (e.g. GAITRite system), audiologists will
be leaders among other disciplines in the
evaluation of balance associated disease and
disorder
65. Bibliography
Alvord, L.S. (2008).Falls Assessment and Prevention, SanDiego, Plural
Publishing
Desmond, A.L.(2004). Vestibular Function: Evaluation and Treatment, New
York, Thieme Medical Publishers
Jacobson, G.P. and Shepard, N.T.(2008). Balance function assessment and
management, SanDiego, Plural Publishing
Perry, J. and Burnfield, J. M. (2010). Gait Analysis: Normal and Pathological
Function (2nd ed.), Thorofare, SLACK Inc.
Weber, P.C.(2008). Vertigo and Disequilibrium, New York, Thieme Medical
Publishers
66. Special Thanks
Jamie Lewis, audiology doctoral extern, for video
demonstration and recording
Reem Alqahtani, Au.D. for her research contributions
Mike Rowling, CIR Systems, for his assistance with
the GAITRite system and software
67. Questions and Comments
Kenneth R Bouchard, Ph.D
Email: kboucha1@hfhs.org
Ashley M Hallberg, AuD
Email: ahallbe1@hfhs.org