69. Forced Gait

What is Being Tested?

As with tests of appendicular coordination, gait involves multiple sensory and motor systems. These include vision, proprioception, vestibular sense, lower motor neurons, upper motor neurons, basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and higher-order motor planning systems in the association cortex. Once again, it is important to test each of these systems for normal function before concluding which particular lesion(s) are the cause of gait disturbance. Localization and diagnosis of gait disorders is described further in KCC 6.5 and Table 6.6 in Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases 3e.