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Gait disorders in adults and the elderly : A clinical guide
Pirker W, Katzenschlager R.. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 2016-10-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Human gait depends on a complex interplay of major parts of the nervous, musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems. The individual gait pattern is influenced by age, personality, mood and sociocultural factors. The preferred walking speed in older adults is a sensitive marker of general health and survival. Safe walking requires intact cognition and executive control. Gait disorders lead to a loss of personal freedom, falls and injuries and result in a marked reduction in the quality of life. Acute onset of a gait disorder may indicate a cerebrovascular or other acute lesion in the nervous system but also systemic diseases or adverse effects of medication, in particular polypharmacy including sedatives. The prevalence of gait disorders increases from 10 % in people aged 60-69 years to more than 60 % in community dwelling subjects aged over 80 years. Sensory ataxia due to polyneuropathy, parkinsonism and frontal gait disorders due to subcortical vascular encephalopathy or disorders associated with dementia are among the most common neurological causes. Hip and knee osteoarthritis are common non-neurological causes of gait disorders. With advancing age the proportion of patients with multiple causes or combinations of neurological and non-neurological gait disorders increases. Thorough clinical observation of gait, taking a focused patient history and physical, neurological and orthopedic examinations are basic steps in the categorization of gait disorders and serve as a guide for ancillary investigations and therapeutic interventions. This clinically oriented review provides an overview on the phenotypic spectrum, work-up and treatment of gait disorders.
Key findings
- Gait disorders lead to a loss of personal freedom, falls and injuries and result in a marked reduction in the quality of life.
- Sensory ataxia due to polyneuropathy, parkinsonism and frontal gait disorders due to subcortical vascular encephalopathy or disorders associated with dementia are among the most common neurological causes.
Why it matters
This clinical guide notes that gait disorders increase with age and that frontal gait disorders due to subcortical vascular encephalopathy or disorders associated with dementia are among the most common neurological causes. It states that safe walking requires intact cognition and executive control, and that gait disorders lead to loss of personal freedom, falls, injuries, and reduced quality of life.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Wiener klinische Wochenschrift) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Wiener klinische Wochenschrift: journal h-index 71 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 666 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 60.5 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 60.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 244 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Regina Katzenschlager: h-index 51 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Medical University of Vienna: institution h-index 818 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27770207) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s00508-016-1096-4
- PubMed: 27770207
- Original source →
- Free full text: Wiener klinische Wochenschrift →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Pirker, W., & Katzenschlager, R. (2017). Gait disorders in adults and the elderly : A clinical guide. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-016-1096-4
Vancouver
Pirker W, Katzenschlager R. Gait disorders in adults and the elderly : A clinical guide. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift. 2017. doi:10.1007/s00508-016-1096-4. PMID: 27770207.
BibTeX
@article{pirker2017-27770207,
author = {Pirker, W. and Katzenschlager, R.},
title = {{Gait disorders in adults and the elderly : A clinical guide}},
journal = {Wiener klinische Wochenschrift},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1007/s00508-016-1096-4},
pmid = {27770207},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-016-1096-4}
}
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