science

Trendelenburg gait

Trendelenburg gait is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Trendelenburg gait rather than just read about it. In short: Trendelenburg gait, first described by Friedrich Trendelenburg in 1895, is an abnormal human gait caused by an inability to maintain the pelvis level while standing on one leg. It is caused by weakness or ineffective action of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles.

Key takeaways

Trendelenburg gait belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Trendelenburg gait to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Trendelenburg gait from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Trendelenburg gait, first described by Friedrich Trendelenburg in 1895, is an abnormal human gait caused by an inability to maintain the pelvis level while standing on one leg. It is caused by weakness or ineffective action of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles. Gandbhir and Rayi point out that the biomechanical action involved comprises a class 3 lever, where the lower limb's weight is the load, the hip joint is the fulcrum, and the lateral glutei, which attach to the antero-lateral surface of the greater trochanter of the femur, provide the effort. The causes can thus be categorized systematically as failures of this lever system at various points.

Signs and symptoms During the stance phase, or when standing on one leg, the weakened abductor muscles (gluteus medius and minimus) on the side of the supporting leg allow the opposite hip to droop. To compensate, the trunk lurches to the weakened side to maintain the center of gravity over the supporting leg. This produces a characteristic "waddling" gait. Trendelenburg gait may be bilateral or unilateral. If, when standing on the right leg, the left hip drops, it is a positive right Trendelenburg sign (the opposite side drops because the hip abductors on the right side do not stabilize the pelvis to prevent the droop). When the patient walks, if he swings his body to the right to compensate for left hip drop, he will present with a compensated Trendelenburg gait. The patient exhibits an excessive lean in which the upper body is thrust to the right to keep the center of gravity over the stance leg.

Causes Trendelenburg gait is caused by weakness or ineffective action of the abductor muscles of the lower limb, the gluteus medius muscle and the gluteus minimus muscle.

Damage to the motor nerve supply of the lateral gluteal muscles (gluteus medius muscle and gluteus minimus muscle) Polio involving L5 (foot drop may also be seen because L5 innervates the tibialis anterior muscle) Damage to the superior gluteal nerve Temporary or permanent weakness of the lateral glutei Tendinitis Penetrating trauma Infection, abscess – bloodborne, post-traumatic or post-surgical Ineffective action (insufficient leverage) of the lateral glutei Greater trochanteric avulsion injury Fracture or non-union of the femoral neck Coxa vara (the angle between the femoral neck head and shaft is less than 120 degrees) Damage to the hip joint (fulcrum); chronic or developmental hip dislocation/dysplasia Avascular necrosis Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease Developmental dysplasia Chronic infection Uncorrected traumatic dislocation

Treatment Treatment is directed at the underlying cause. In addition, biofeedback and physical therapy are used to strengthen the muscles.

See also Gait abnormality Gluteal gait Snapping hip syndrome Trendelenburg position Trendelenburg's sign

References

Wheeless' textbook of orthopaedics [1] Ropper and Brown, Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 8th edition (2005), p. 105

External links

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Trendelenburg gait

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Trendelenburg gait claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Trendelenburg gait before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Trendelenburg gait ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Trendelenburg gait

In research: Trendelenburg gait appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Trendelenburg gait in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Trendelenburg gait is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Gait abnormalities, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Trendelenburg gait outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Trendelenburg gait in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Trendelenburg gait means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Trendelenburg gait out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Trendelenburg gait in simple terms?

Why does Trendelenburg gait matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Trendelenburg gait?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Trendelenburg gait.