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Parkinsonian gait ] is the type of gait exhibited by patients with Parkinson's disease. It is often described by people with Parkinson's as feeling like being stuck in place, when initiating a step or turning, and can increase the risk of falling. This disorder is caused by a deficiency of dopamine in the basal ganglia circuit leading to motor deficits. Gait is one of the most affected motor characteristics of this disorder although symptoms of Parkinson's disease are varied.
Parkinsonian gait is characterized by small shuffling steps and a general slowness of movement , or even the total loss of movement in the extreme cases. Patients with PD demonstrate reduced stride length, walking speed during free ambulation and cadence rate, while double support duration is increased. The patient has difficulty starting, but also has difficulty stopping after starting. This is due to muscle hypertonicity.