ataxic gait

Patients with ataxic gait have problems balancing and display an unstable wide walk.

During a typical attack, patients reported having ataxic gait with a tendency to fall to either side while lacking the ability to walk heel-to-toe.

Gaze nystagmus and cerebellar dysarthria usually develop after the onset of ataxic gait.

Decreased coordination of movements (ataxia) in late childhood Ataxic gait (cerebellar ataxia)

The disease is characterized by the degeneration of both the lateral and posterior columns, which results in symptoms such as a spastic ataxic gait and paranoia.

If the patient is not given an opportunity to clearly describe what has happened, he or she may be referred to neurology to rule out stroke because of this ataxic gait.

To address the ataxic gait pattern and loss of proprioception typically seen in persons with Friedreich's ataxia, physical therapists can use visual cueing during gait training to help facilitate a more efficient gait pattern.