Dystonic gait

What it means

Dystonic gait disorders frequently appear bizarre, particularly because activity increases dystonic tonus and posture. The abnormal posture of the foot in dystonic gait typically involves inversion, plantar flexion and tonic extension of the big toe. In many patients complex types of walking, such as walking backwards and running are paradoxically less impaired than walking forward and may seem completely unaffected. Sensory tricks, for instance, if the affected individual rests a hand on his or her neck, may improve or even normalize dystonic gait in some patients.

Rare diseases that can present with this3

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category