What is a gait disturbance?
A gait disturbance refers to any issue or condition that affects an individual’s ability to walk. The cause may be neurological or muscular, or in some cases the result of trauma or an injury.
In some cases, physical therapy or other related treatments may improve an individual’s ability to walk.
A neurological gait disturbance may also be accompanied with a balance issue, which can cause further complications with walking.
Understanding brain-related symptoms and features
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
The brain is the central organ of the nervous system, a system which includes not only the brain but also the sensory organs of the body, the spinal cords and the nerves that connect them all. The nervous system is how the different parts of the body communicate with each other and controls their responses to both internal and external stimuli.
Generally, symptoms affecting the brain can not be seen with the naked eye. Although diagnosing a brain related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective.
Symptoms related to the brain may affect other parts of the body and development, including intellectual ability, movement, speech, and other crucial bodily functions.
Brain-related gait disturbances are commonly seen in neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. These conditions can affect the basal ganglia, cerebellum, or other regions involved in motor control, resulting in abnormal gait patterns, shuffling, or difficulty with walking stability.
What should I do next?
In some instances, a gait disturbance may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Gait Disturbance, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.