His step was light.
疲れた足取りで家に帰った。
I went home with a tired gait.
trace; track; trail; movements
Used for the route or traces left by a person, especially in contexts like criminal investigations or tracking someone's whereabouts.
警察は犯人の足取りを追っている。
The police are tracking the criminal's movements.
彼の足取りが途絶えた。
His trail went cold.
His gait was light after winning the match.
The police are trying to pin down the escaped suspect's movements.
Maybe he was tired—his steps were heavy.
The detective traced the missing person's movements.
He was drunk and his steps were unsteady.
足元 (in its gait sense) describes the steadiness of one's steps, while 足取り focuses on the manner or trace of one's walking.