[Psychogenic disorders of stance and gait as seen in videotaping]

Psychogenic disorders of stance and gait were studied in 24 hysterical patients by video review analysis. In 30% of the cases, gait disorders were represented by pseudoataxia (gait with crossed legs or ataxia with sudden sidesteps); gait with dragging leg (sometimes with twisted foot and equino-varus posture); gait with flexed and/or buckling knees. Ancle and hip excess mobility, or hypermobility, proved to be rather typical, as well. The disorder types detected might be constant or first manifested themselves only during complicated gait (closed eyes, tandem walking, running). Fallings were the most frequent posture disturbances. An attention was drawn to phenomena indicative of involving environment of patient in symptom (pushing of furniture, falling on the physician) and to involving the means of nonverbal communications (space-touching hands, flailing arms, suffering facial expression etc). Phenomena revealed as a result of our investigation could be used in diagnostics of psychogenic gait and stance disorders.