| Gowers's sign | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gowers's sign | |
| Differential diagnosis | Duchenne muscular dystrophy |
Gowers's sign is amedical sign that indicatesweakness of theproximalmuscles, namely those of thelower limb. The sign describes a patient that has to use their hands and arms to "walk" up their own body from asquatting position due to lack of hip and thigh muscle strength.
It is named afterWilliam Richard Gowers.[1][2]
Gowers's sign is classically seen inDuchenne muscular dystrophy where it is mostly evident at 4–6 years, but also presents itself incentronuclear myopathy,myotonic dystrophy and various other conditions associated with proximal muscle weakness, includingBecker muscular dystrophy,dermatomyositis andPompe disease. For this maneuver, the patient is placed on the floor away from any objects that could otherwise be used to pull oneself to a standing position. It is also used in testing paraplegia.[citation needed]
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