Trendelenburg gait

The Trendelenburg gait is an abnormal gait caused by weakness of the abductor muscles of the lower limb, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Patients with a lesion of superior gluteal nerve have weakness of abducting the thigh at the hip.

During the stance phase, the weakened abductor muscles allow the pelvis to tilt down on the opposite side. To compensate, the trunk lurches to the weakened side to attempt to maintain a level pelvis throughout the gait cycle. The pelvis sags on the opposite side of the lesioned superior gluteal nerve.