Gait disorders.

Gait disorders are frequently accompanied by loss of balance and falls, and are a common cause of disability, particularly among the elderly. In many cases the cause is multifactorial, involving both neurologic and nonneurologic systems. Physical therapy and training, coupled with pharmacologic and surgical therapy, can usually provide some improvement in ambulation, which translates into better quality of life. More research is needed on the mechanisms of gait and its disorders as well as on symptomatic therapies. Better understanding of the pathophysiology of gait disorders should lead to more specific, pathogenesis-targeted therapies.