What is gait?
Gait is the pattern of how you walk: the length of your steps, the speed, how your feet land and how your arms and body move along with you. Everyone has their own pattern, like handwriting.
A physiotherapist watches gait because it brings the whole body together in one task. It shows strength, balance, joint movement and also confidence.
Why does it matter?
A change in gait is the first sign most families notice that something is wrong, before pain gets loud. Shorter steps, a wider stance, a drag of one foot or holding onto furniture are all clues.
Families see this first. A daughter visiting from KL may notice that her mother now walks to the gate as if the ground were uneven, and that is worth acting on.
An everyday example in Ipoh
Mr Tan takes a morning walk at the Polo Ground every day. After a mild stroke, his right foot swings out in a half circle and his left hand does not swing.
We watch him walk in the lounge, on the porch step and along the drain edge outside his house. Then we choose exercises for the weak hip and ankle, and show his wife how to walk on his weak side so that she can steady him.
Related terms and next steps
A foot that catches on the floor is called foot drop. The body’s sense of where your feet are is proprioception, and it has a large part in a steady gait.
Our guides on balance and falls, walking again after stroke and walking aids explain what to do next. Our older adult rehabilitation page shows how we plan a visit.