What is it called when you can't walk properly?

Ataxia is a loss of muscle control. People with ataxia lose muscle control in their arms and legs. This may lead to a lack of balance, coordination, and trouble walking. Ataxia may affect the movements of: Fingers.

What causes a person not able to walk correctly?

Abnormal development of the muscles or bones of your legs or feet. Arthritis of the hips, knees, ankles, or feet. Cerebellar disorders, which are disorders of the area of the brain that controls coordination and balance. Foot problems, including corns and calluses, sores, and warts.

What disease affects your ability to walk?

“Your brain is responsible for both your movements and your balance. As a result, diseases that affect the brain, like vascular disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, can all make it difficult to walk.” The way you walk can give early warning signs of these diseases.

Why am I losing strength in my legs?

A feeling of sudden leg weakness, causing your legs to give out or buckle can be alarming. Weakness in your leg(s) may occur from problems in the nerves and/or muscles in your lower body and is usually treatable. Rarely, the underlying cause may be a serious medical condition requiring immediate medical attention.

What can cause loss of mobility in legs?

Exercise to improve walking: fix a "heavy leg"

What causes someone to walk like a duck?

Peroneal muscle atrophy or peroneal nerve injury, as with a spinal problem (such as spinal stenosis or herniated disc), can cause this type of gait. Waddling gait. Movement of the trunk is exaggerated to produce a waddling, duck-like walk.

What causes balance and gait problems?

Common causes of these issues in adults include musculoskeletal injuries, arthritis, and visual or inner ear problems. In children, gait and balance problems typically stem from developmental issues that can result in flat feet and bowing of the legs. The treatment depends on the underlying cause.

Why do I feel off balance when I walk?

Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).

What neurological disorders cause balance problems?

Can balance problems be cured?

Balance problems may appear before other symptoms. Treatment for chronic medical conditions vary. Most progressive disorders are not curable, but medication and rehabilitation may slow the disease.

What causes stiff walking?

Spastic gait -- a stiff, foot-dragging walk caused by a long muscle contraction on one side. Steppage gait -- foot drop where the foot hangs with the toes pointing down, causing the toes to scrape the ground while walking, requiring someone to lift the leg higher than normal when walking.

What does unstable gait mean?

An unsteady gait is an abnormality in walking that can be caused by diseases of or damage to the legs and feet (including the bones, joints, blood vessels, muscles, and other soft tissues) or to the nervous system that controls the movements necessary for walking.

What is Parkinson's gait?

'Parkinsonian gait' is a distinctive, less steady walk that arises from changes in posture, slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and a shortened stride.

What are the three cardinal signs of Parkinson's disease?

What does a Parkinson's walk look like?

People with Parkinsonian gait usually take small, shuffling steps. They might have difficulty picking up their feet. Parkinsonian gait changes can be episodic or continuous. Episodic changes, such as freezing of gait, can come on suddenly and randomly.

What do the early stages of Parkinson's look like?

Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk.

What is poor gait?

Abnormal gait or a walking abnormality is when a person is unable to walk in the usual way. This may be due to injuries, underlying conditions, or problems with the legs and feet. Walking may seems to be an uncomplicated activity.

What kind of doctor should I see for balance problems?

To find out if you have a balance problem, your primary doctor may suggest that you see an otolaryngologist and an audiologist. An otolaryngologist is a physician and surgeon who specializes in diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, neck, and throat.

Is there any medication for balance problems?

Your healthcare professional may prescribe motion-sickness medications such as meclizine (Antivert) to relieve the acute feelings of vertigo and dizziness, and possibly methylprednisolone to reduce inner ear inflammation. An antibiotic is sometimes prescribed.

What is the main cause of balance problems?

Problems with balance can involve dizziness or vertigo, causing a spinning or falling sensation. Common causes of this disorienting feeling include inner ear problems, circulation changes, head or neck injuries or other conditions.

What is losing balance a symptom of?

Balance disorders can be signs of other health problems, such as an ear infection, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. In some cases, you can help treat a balance disorder by seeking medical treatment for the illness that is causing the disorder.

How do you treat balance disorder at home?

Why do I feel shaky and off balance?

Vestibular balance disorders can affect your balance and make you feel disoriented. Common causes include inner ear problems, medicines, infections, and traumatic brain injury. These disorders can occur at any age. But they are most common as you get older.

What causes poor balance in seniors?

Long-term medical condition that affects the nervous system can have an impact on balance, too. Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Multiple Sclerosis are just a few. In addition, arthritis, heart problems, and certain medications seniors take for chronic illnesses can all contribute to unsteadiness.

Can't walk in a straight line?

The most common disorder is called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This type of disorder occurs when particles in our inner ear have moved into the wrong position. As a result, most people feel a sense of dizziness with certain head movements. This can be resolved with treatments at Physical Therapy.