About walking

[DianeD]

Can anyone define how they feel when walking (If this is a symptom for you)?

I find that I feel pretty good when sitting, but when I stand I have to first find my balance prior to taking a step. Then I don't feel comfortable; it's like I'm not making contact with the floor.

This is difficult to explain.

Diane

[Thinkimjob]

Hello. Walking is, for me, a complete joke. Strangely enough, the sensory nerves down my legs and feet more or less work tickle my feet, yep, can feel that just fine.
So the problem is obviously in the spinal area.

I can walk, but it ain't pretty. More sort of valiant lurching.

[tracibk]

I also have to "adjust" when I stand up to walk. Walking gets harder as the day goes on.......I get to the point that I am having to think about getting my foot up so I don't trip.

[Waydwnsouth1]

As the day goes on I feel the same way. I have to make sure my legs are underneath me and I have good balance. My walking also gets worse and more difficult later in the day.

In the morning I use my cane more as a habit than anything else. But by the afternoon I use as a necessity. No cane, No walk. If I do walk a very short distance with out it my gait is horrible.

[Marco]

It is common for MS patients to have gait problems. My favorite written guide can be found here: http://my-ms.org/symptoms_movement_disorders.htm. The NMSS also has a brochure about walking and gait. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Nat...g-Problems.pdf. For me, it's harder to read descriptions than to watch a particular gait demonstrated. For that reason, I prefer video lessons about gait abnormalities. I am not generally a fan of youtube, but there are some wonderful videos that discuss gait abnormalities.

If you are having gait problems I would suggest you consider a PT evaluation. A good PT can help you with stretches and exercises to improve most gait disturbances. Many times you can receive customized training handouts and do the exercises on your own. Then you check in with the PT monthly to monitor your progress and make minor adjustments. You don't want to wait too long to get help, when additional damage has been done, or bad walking habits have been reinforced. I wish you well ...

[Mermaid Susan]

Walking

Dear Diane,
I work on my gait in the pool. The hydrostatic pressure there helps me stay upright and makes falling a non-issue. On land, my balance is difficult. I use a tall cane when I go out and a walker for any distance. I have no mental map of either foot when it is behind me, and often cannot really sense when my right foot touches the ground.

In the pool I work on keeping a straight alignment, working through the toes - arch - heel of each foot, and refraining from swinging my right leg out to the side from the hip. I am trying to repattern my gait, and I have had some success.

I hope you can find a PT or a trainer that can give you a set of exercises to help you repattern your gait. I believe that movement can help reroute around my lesions. The brain has plasticity, I know.

Stay lifted,
Mermaid