Table 3.

Patterns of Gait Disturbance in the Elderly.

Type of Gait Disturbance	Characteristics
Polyneuropathic	Unsteady, worse with eye closure
Bilateral vestibulopathic	Unsteady in dark and on uneven surfaces
Visually impaired	Unsteady, worse on uneven surfaces
Parkinsonian	Hypokinetic, decreased dual‐tasking ability while walking
Cerebellar	Ataxic
Dementing	Slow, increased falls, decreased dual‐tasking ability while walking, impaired spatial orientation
Vascular encephalopathic	Small steps, broad‐base, normal arm swing
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus	Apraxic
Anxious/psychogenic	Broad‐based, improved with distraction, includes “fear of falling”
Cautious	Slow, reduced step length, increased variability in step timing