GALS screen
A GALS screen is an examination used by doctors and other healthcare professionals to detect locomotor abnormalities and functional disability relating to gait, arms, legs and the spine. __toc__ Examination Gait Ask the patient to walk a short distance, turn and then walk back. Observation: looking for symmetry, smoothness of movement, normal stride length, pelvic tilt, arm swing, normal heel strike, stance, toe-off, swing through and ability to turn with ease. Note any antalgic, trendelenburg, hemiplegic or parkinsonian gait features. Arms, legs and spine From behind Inspect for: a straight spine (note any scoliosis), normal paraspinal muscle bulk, symmetrical shoulder and gluteal muscle bulk, symmetry of iliac crests, absence of popliteal swellings, absence of foot or hindfoot swellings. Palpate: over mid supraspinatus and roll the skin over the trapezius to test for signs of hyperalgesia or fibromyalgia. From the side Inspect for: normal cervical and lumbar lordosis and normal thoracic kyphosis. Whilst standing beside the patient place your index finger on one of the lumbar vertebral spinous processes, and your middle finger on the next one down and ask the patient to bend over and touch their toes, keeping their legs straight. Normally, as the patient bends, the spinous processes