Which features characterize a hemiparetic gait after a stroke?

Which features characterize a hemiparetic gait after a stroke?

• A. Circumduction during swing, foot drop, hip hiking, reduced knee and hip flexion, lateral trunk lean, increased double support time, and slow walking speed.
• B. Quick symmetric gait with normal speed
• C. No trunk movement and no foot drop
• D. High knee flexion and toe walking

Answer: (C)

Hemiparetic gait after a stroke comes from weakness and abnormal tone on one side, which forces the person to use compensations to move the leg and keep balance. The features described—circumduction during swing, foot drop, hip hiking, reduced knee and hip flexion, lateral trunk lean, increased double support time, and slow walking speed—fit this pattern well. Circumduction and hip hiking help the foot clear the ground when dorsiflexion and knee/hip flexion are limited. Foot drop reflects weak dorsiflexors, leading to toe drag. Reduced knee and hip flexion limit limb clearance, so the trunk may lean laterally to aid balance and stability. The stance phase becomes longer (more time with both feet on the ground) as the person guards against instability, contributing to a slower overall pace. Other options describe gait patterns that don’t match this unilateral, compensatory profile.

Hemiparetic gait after a stroke comes from weakness and abnormal tone on one side, which forces the person to use compensations to move the leg and keep balance. The features described—circumduction during swing, foot drop, hip hiking, reduced knee and hip flexion, lateral trunk lean, increased double support time, and slow walking speed—fit this pattern well. Circumduction and hip hiking help the foot clear the ground when dorsiflexion and knee/hip flexion are limited. Foot drop reflects weak dorsiflexors, leading to toe drag. Reduced knee and hip flexion limit limb clearance, so the trunk may lean laterally to aid balance and stability. The stance phase becomes longer (more time with both feet on the ground) as the person guards against instability, contributing to a slower overall pace. Other options describe gait patterns that don’t match this unilateral, compensatory profile.