Movement of the body by lifting the feet alternately in a chosen direction, with one foot returning to the ground before the next leaves it, a complicated set of movements controlled by the brain in response to the body’s signals about changes in position and balance (as monitored by the inner ear). Newborn infants exhibit a walking reflex moving legs when held upright and walking is one of the main early motor skills learned by a child in the first year or so of life.
The act of moving on foot; advancing by steps.
Walking involves the rhythmic lifting of one foot alternately with the other, ensuring that one foot makes contact with the ground before the opposite foot starts to rise. A person’s unique style of walking, known as their gait, is influenced by factors such as body shape, size, and posture. The age at which children begin walking can vary significantly from one individual to another.
The act of walking is regulated by nerve signals that instruct the muscles. These signals travel from various regions of the brain, including the motor cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum, through the spinal cord and ultimately reach the muscles.
An irregular walking pattern can result from various factors, including joint stiffness, muscle weakness (sometimes associated with conditions like poliomyelitis or muscular dystrophy), skeletal abnormalities (such as arthritis, bone tumors, congenital hip dislocation, scoliosis, or talipes). A painful limp may be attributed to fractures or diseases affecting leg bones, such as the tibia, fibula, or femur. Children might develop conditions like knock-knee or bowleg, as well as synovitis of the hip and Perthes’ disease. In adolescents, a painful limp may arise due to a slipped epiphysis.
Irregular walking patterns can also be attributed to neurological disorders like stroke (which can lead to hemiplegia), multiple sclerosis, parkinsonism, peripheral neuritis, various types of myelitis, and chorea. Ménière’s disease can result in significant balance loss and instability as well.