Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)

Patient’s full name: ________________________________________ Patient’s age: _____________

Patient’s gender: ________________________ Date of assessment: _________________________

What you need:

A 20-foot walkway, should also be 15 inches wide; shoebox; 2 cones; an area with stairs

1. Gait level surface

Instructions: Walk at your normal speed from her to the next mark (20 feet).

Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Cannot walk 20 ft. without assistance, severe gait deviations,
or imbalance.

1 Moderate impairment Walks 20 ft., slow speed, abnormal gait pattern, evidence for
imbalance.

2 Mild impairment Walks 20 ft., uses assistive devices, slower speed, mild gait
deviations.

3 Normal Walks 20 ft., no assistive devices, good speed, no evidence of

imbalance, normal gait pattern.

2. Change in gait speed

Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace (for 5 ft.). When I tell you “GO,” walk as fast as you
can (for 5 ft.). When I tell you “SLOW,” walk as slowly as you can (for 5 ft.).
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Cannot change speeds, or loses balance and has to reach for
wall or be caught.

1 Moderate impairment Makes only minor adjustments to walking speed or

accomplishes a change in speed with significant gait
deviations, or changes speed but has significant gait
deviations, or changes speed but loses balance but is able to
recover and continue walking.

2 Mild impairment Able to change speed but demonstrates mild gait deviations,
or no gait deviations but unable to achieve a significant change
in velocity, or uses an assistive device.

3 Normal Able to smoothly change walking speed without loss of

balance or gait deviation. Shows significant difference in
walking speeds between normal, fast, and slow speeds.
3. Gait with horizontal head turns

Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace. When I tell you “LOOK RIGHT,” keep walking
straight, but turn your head to the right. Keep looking to the right until I tell you “LOOK LEFT,” then
keep walking straight and turn your head to the left. Keep your head to the left until I tell you “LOOK
STRAIGHT”. then keep walking straight but return your head to the center.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Performs task with severe disruptions of gait (i.e. staggers
outside 15 inches path, loses balance, stops, reaches for wall).

1 Moderate impairment Performs head turns with moderate change in gait velocity,
slows down, staggers but recovers, can continue to walk.

2 Mild impairment Performs head turn smoothly with slight change in gait velocity
(i.e. minor disruption to smooth gait path or uses walking aid).

3 Normal Performs head turns smoothly with no change in gait.

4. Gait with vertical head turns

Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace. When I tell you “LOOK UP,” keep walking straight,
but tip your head and look up. Keep looking up until I tell you “LOOK DOWN.” Then keep walking
straight and turn your head down. Keep looking down until I tell you “LOOK STRAIGHT,” then keep
walking straight, but return your head to the center.

Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Performs task with severe disruptions of gait (i.e. staggers
outside 15 inches path, loses balance, stops, reaches for wall.

1 Moderate impairment Performs task with moderate change in gait velocity, slows
down, staggers but recovers, can continue to walk.

2 Mild impairment Performs task with slight change in gait velocity (i.e. minor
disruption to smooth gait path or uses walking aid).

3 Normal Performs head turns with no change in gait.

5. Gait and pivot turn

Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace. When I tell you “TURN AND STOP,” turn as quickly
as you can to face the opposite direction and stop.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Cannot turn safely, requires assistance to turn and stop.

1 Moderate impairment Turns slowly, requires verbal cueing, requires several small
steps to catch balance following turn.

2 Mild impairment Pivot turns safely in > 3 seconds and stops with no loss of
balance.

3 Normal Pivots and turns safely within 3 seconds and stops quickly with
no loss of balance.

6. Step over obstacles

Instructions: Begin walking at your normal speed. When you come to the shoebox, step over it, not
around it, and keep walking.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Cannot perform without assistance.

1 Moderate impairment Able to step over box, but must stop, then step over. May
require verbal cueing.

2 Mild impairment Able to step over box, but must slow down and adjust steps to
clear box safely.

3 Normal Able to step over box without changing gait speed; no

evidence of imbalance.
7. Step around obstacles

Instructions: Begin walking at your normal speed. When you come to the first cone (about 6 ft. away),
walk around the right side of it. When you come to the second cone (6 ft. past first cone), walk around
it to the left.

Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Unable to clear cones, walks into one or both cones, or
requires physical assistance.

1 Moderate impairment Able to clear cones but must significantly slow speed to
accomplish task, or requires verbal cueing.

2 Mild impairment Able to step around both cones, but must slow down and
adjust steps to clear cones.

3 Normal Able to walk around cones safely without changing gait speed;
no evidence of imbalance.

8. Steps

Instructions: Walk up these stairs as you would at home (i.e. using the rail if necessary). At the top,
turn around and walk down.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.

Score Level of function Criteria

0 Severe impairment Cannot perform safely.

1 Moderate impairment Two feet to a stair; must use rail.

2 Mild impairment Alternating feet, must use rail.

3 Normal Alternating feet, no rail.

Total score: ________

Remarks/Comments

Name of examiner: ____________________________ Examiner’s signature: __________________

Scoring and interpretation

The Dynamic Gait Index, also known as DGI, is an assessment developed to assess the likelihood of
falling in older adults. The scale is a four-point ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates the
lowest level of function, and 3 represents the highest.
The total possible score is 24.
A score of ≤19/24 is predictive of falls in the elderly.

Reference
Shumway-Cook, A., & Woollacott, M. (1995). Motor control theory and practical applications (pp. 322–
324). Williams & Wilkins.