Table 1

Common varieties of functional gait disorder (from Lempert et al, 1991²⁰)

	Clinical features	Description	n*
* Number displaying this feature in a series of 37 patients with functional gait disorder.
†Excluded from Lempert's classification but one of the most common gait abnormalities.
1	Monoplegic “dragging” gait	A leg that drags behind the patient, often with rotation at the hip or inversion/eversion at the ankle. Leg often hauled on to bed with both hands.	N/A†

2	Fluctuation of impairment	Variability during a 5–10 minute period, either spontaneously or provoked by distraction, for example finger-nose testing while standing	19

3	Excessive slowness of movements or hesitation	Simultaneous contraction of agonist and antagonist muscles—not related to pain in this sample. Hesitation refers to delayed or failed initiation of gait; small forward and backward movements of the leg while the feet “stick” to the ground; does not improve after the first step like parkinsonism.	19

4	“Psychogenic Romberg” test	Constant falls towards or away from the observer, irrespective of position. Fall avoided by clutching physician. Large amplitude body sway. Improvement with distraction.	12

5	“Walking on ice” pattern	The gait pattern of a normal person walking on slippery ground. Cautious, broad based steps with decreased stride length and height, stiff knees and ankles. Arms sometimes abducted as if on a tightrope.	11

6	Uneconomic postures with waste of muscle energy	A gait with an eccentric displacement of centre of gravity such as standing and walking with flexion of hips and knees.	11

7	Sudden knee buckling	Patients usually prevent themselves from falling (8/10) before they touch the ground, requiring excellent muscle function. NB, knee buckling can occur in Huntington's chorea and cataplexy.	10