Grid Walking Test
Objective: Evaluation of sensorimotor function, motor coordination, and placing deficits during locomotion by recording foot faults on an elevated grid
This is a Grid Walking Test protocol using rodent (rat or mouse) as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 1 equipment items. Extracted from a 2010 paper published in Experimental & Translational Stroke Medicine.
Model and subjects
rodent (rat or mouse) • not specified • unknown • not specified • not specified
Study window
~5 minutes hands-on
Core workflow
Animal placement on grid • Locomotion observation and foot fault recording • Step counting
Primary readouts
- Number of contralateral foot faults
- Number of ipsilateral foot faults
- Total number of steps taken
- Foot fault index (faults relative to total steps)
Key equipment and reagents
Verified items
0
Direct vendor links
0
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Protocol Steps
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Animal placement on grid
Place the animal on the elevated, leveled grid with openings
Note: The grid should be elevated and leveled to ensure consistent testing conditions
View evidence from paper
“An animal is placed on an elevated, leveled grid with openings.”
Locomotion observation and foot fault recording
Observe the animal as it moves along the grid. Record each instance when a paw slips through an open grid opening as a foot fault. Count both contralateral and ipsilateral faults for each limb
Note: Animals without brain damage typically place paws precisely on the wire frame. Intact animals generally demonstrate few to no foot faults, and when faults occur, they do so symmetrically
View evidence from paper
“Each time a paw slips through an open grid, a foot fault is recorded. The number of both contra- and ipsilateral faults for each limb is compared to the total number of steps taken”
Step counting
Count the total number of steps taken by the animal during the test
Note: Total steps are used as the denominator for calculating the foot fault index
View evidence from paper
“The number of both contra- and ipsilateral faults for each limb is compared to the total number of steps taken”
Foot fault index calculation
Calculate the foot fault index by comparing the number of faults to the total number of steps taken
Note: The foot fault index provides an objective measure of motor coordination deficits
View evidence from paper
“The number of both contra- and ipsilateral faults for each limb is compared to the total number of steps taken and then scored using a foot fault index”