festinating gait

gait (gāt) the manner or style of walking.

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antalgic gait  a limp adopted so as to avoid pain on weight-bearing structures, characterized by a very short stance phase.

ataxic gait  an unsteady, uncoordinated walk, employing a wide base and the feet thrown out.

festinating gait  a gait in which the patient involuntarily moves with short, accelerating steps, often on tiptoe, as in parkinsonism.

helicopod gait  a gait in which the feet describe half circles, as in some conversion disorders.

hip extensor gait  a gait in which the heel strike is followed by throwing forward of the hip and throwing backward of the trunk and pelvis.

myopathic gait  exaggerated alternation of lateral trunk movements with an exaggerated elevation of the hip.

paraplegic spastic gait  spastic g.

quadriceps gait  a gait in which at each step on the affected leg the knee hyperextends and the trunk lurches forward.

spastic gait  a gait in which the legs are held together and move in a stiff manner, the toes seeming to drag and catch.

steppage gait  the gait in footdrop in which the advancing leg is lifted high so that the toes can clear the ground.

stuttering gait  one characterized by hesitancy that resembles stuttering.

tabetic gait  an ataxic gait that accompanies tabes dorsalis.

waddling gait  myopathic g.

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festinating gait

[fes′tinā′ting]

Etymology: L, festinare, to hasten

a manner of walking in which a person's speed increases in an unconscious effort to "catch up" with a displaced center of gravity. It is a common characteristic of Parkinson's disease.

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gait (gāt),

n a manner of walking; a cyclic loss and regaining of balance by a shift of the line of gravity in relationship to the center of gravity. A person's gait is as characteristic and as individual as a fingerprint.

gait, cerebellar,

n an unsteady, irregular gait characterized by short steps and a lurching from one side to the other; most commonly seen in multiple sclerosis or other cerebellar diseases.

gait, festinating,

n a gait characterized by rigidity, shuffling, and involuntary hastening. The upper part of the body advances ahead of the lower part. It is associated with paralysis agitans and postencephalitic Parkinson's syndrome.

gait, sensor ataxic,

n an irregular, uncertain, stamping gait. The legs are kept far apart, and either the ground or the feet are watched, because there has been a loss of knowledge of the position of the lower limbs. This gait is caused by an interruption of the afferent nerve fibers and may be associated with tabes dorsalis and sometimes with multiple sclerosis and other lesions of the nervous system.

gait, spastic,

n (creeping palsy) a slow, shuffling gait in which the patient appears to be wading in water. Knee and hip movements are restricted. This gait may be associated with multiple sclerosis, syphilis, combined systemic disease, or other diseases affecting the spinal pyramidal tracts.

gait, staggering,

n a reeling, tottering, and tipping gait in which the individual appears as if he may fall backward or lose his balance. It is associated with alcohol and barbiturate intoxication.

gait, waddling,

n an exaggerated alteration of lateral trunk movements, with an exaggerated elevation of the hip, suggesting the gait of a duck; characteristic of progressive muscular dystrophy.

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festinating gait

Parkinsonian gait Neurology Gait characterized by flexed trunk, hips and knees, in which the steps get progressively shorter and faster; FG is a clinical finding typical of Parkinson's disease. See Parkinsonism.