Basics of Gait Evaluation: Head and Shoulders

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-male-walking-with-dog-rimagefree2921084-resi2565486

When you are learning gait evaluation,  it is very important to spend a lot of time making as many observations as you can. Remember a wise old saying (at least as old as me!!) that you see what you want to see. So, one of the primary purposes of these next posts on gait evaluation is to Open Your Eyes and see what you have never seen, or at least, what you don't expect to see. You will begin to understand that the human body, with all its complexities, behaves in patterns at times and, at times, makes its own patterns.

Checklist Used When Observing Gait

Tightness Noted in Shoulder

•      Right
•      Left

Shoulder Drop with Lower Finger Position

•      Right
•      Left

Rounded Shoulders

Limb Dominance Noted

•      Right
•      Left

Increased Elbow Bend

•      Right
•      Left

Increased Arm Swing

•      Right
•      Left

Head Tilt

•      To Right
•      To Left

Even Head and Shoulder Height and Motion