[Evaluating gait disorders in geriatrics]. / Beurteilung der Gangstörungen in der Geriatrie.

Gait disorders in the elderly are a major cause of falls and accidents. They also interfere badly with the quality of life and the psychosocial well-being. The prevalence of these disorders is very high: 15% of the persons over 65 years and about 25% of those over 75 years suffer from gait disorders. The cause of gait disorders can be a specific disease, but in the elderly, multiple causes are much more frequent. In the elderly, the analysis of gait disorders consists not only of a diagnostic work-up, but also of a comprehensive geriatric and functional gait assessment. A minimal gait assessment includes a special clinical examination, an instrumental analysis of gait speed and a functional assessment of gait and balance by standard tests. In this article the relevant methods of a practical gait assessment are presented and some basic aspects of treatments are discussed.