What is the walking gait like in individuals with autism?
Nov 17, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
Introduction
Individuals with autism may exhibit certain characteristics in their walking patterns, such as walking on tiptoes, unsteady gait, body stiffness, abnormal arm swing, and difficulty maintaining focus while walking. Some patients tend to walk on their toes, placing weight primarily on the forefoot while keeping the heels elevated from the ground for prolonged periods. This posture may persist, particularly becoming more pronounced during early walking stages or when emotionally anxious.
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder may exhibit certain characteristics in their walking patterns, such as walking on tiptoes, unsteady gait, body stiffness, abnormal arm movements, and difficulty maintaining focus while walking. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Walking on tiptoes: Some individuals habitually walk on the balls of their feet, with heels remaining off the ground for prolonged periods. This pattern may persist over time and is often more pronounced during early walking stages or when emotionally anxious. Long-term tiptoe walking may affect foot bone development and balance.
2. Unsteady gait: The walking rhythm may be irregular, with inconsistent step lengths and noticeable side-to-side swaying, indicating poor balance. Instability becomes more evident when climbing stairs or walking on uneven surfaces, often requiring handrails or assistance from others to move safely.
3. Body stiffness: Muscles may remain tense throughout the body during walking, resulting in inflexible limb movements and limited natural trunk rotation, giving a mechanical appearance to locomotion. Turning or changing direction tends to be awkward, often requiring a pause and adjustment before movement can continue.
4. Abnormal arm swing: During normal walking, arms naturally swing forward and backward in coordination with the legs. However, some individuals may keep their arms rigidly at their sides without swinging, or exhibit excessive or irregular arm movements that are poorly coordinated with leg motion, leading to an unusual overall walking posture.
5. Difficulty focusing while walking: During walking, attention may easily be drawn to surrounding stimuli—such as floor patterns or lights—causing deviation from the intended path, sudden stops to fixate on an object, or failure to pay attention to the path ahead, increasing the risk of collisions or falls.
If a child displays these abnormal walking patterns along with signs of social communication difficulties and restricted interests, it is advisable to seek evaluation from a pediatric developmental behavioral specialist or pediatrician as early as possible.
