Gait and balance disorders

Gait disorders can be seen in a wide variety of neurologic, musculoskeletal, and medical problems. In all cases, careful examination of gait and balance is paramount to the correct diagnosis. Ancillary gait laboratory analyses are helpful in some occasions. In most cases, treatment depends on the specific diagnosis, although some simple techniques may help poor balance in general. Because treatment is so dependent on the underlying etiology, this article mostly concerns diagnosis and provides descriptive case studies.