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Gowers' sign
System: Muscles, Bones & Joints Signs · All muscles, bones & joints signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
A child with weak hip and thigh muscles 'walks' their hands up their own legs to push themselves up from the floor to standing.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with proximal muscle weakness, classically Duchenne muscular dystrophy in boys.
◈ Behind the name
Sir William Richard Gowers (1845–1915), British neurologist.
Related signs — Muscles, Bones & Joints Signs
Browse the G section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.