A painful condition in a lower extremity can affect the gait, resulting in a limp.
Clinical features:
(1) the patient develops a limp secondary to pain in the lower extremity
(2) asymmetrical gait, with less time in the stance phase than the swing phase (in order to reduce pain in the affected leg). Normally time spent in stance and swing phases are about the same.
The underlying causes are diverse, including:
(1) infection
(2) trauma
(3) inflammatory/rheumatologic
(4) vascular
(5) neoplastic
(6) degenerative
The diagnosis requires exclusion of:
(1) alternative types of gaits
(2) a process in the abdomen or pelvis (appendicitis, testicular torsion, etc)
Complications depend on the underlying cause. If the condition can be treated, then the prognosis is good. If the condition cannot be resolved then the patient may develop a progressive disability.
