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MS Fact
More than twice as many women as men have MS.
MS symptoms:
walking and balance
How can MS affect my walking?
Walking problems (also known as gait) are fairly common for people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS).
Difficulty walking can stem from a variety of MS symptoms:
Muscle weakness—can cause toe drag, foot drop and other gait abnormalities.
Spasticity— can interfere with walking since it most commonly affects the leg muscles.
Exercise, physical therapy, walking aids and, in some cases, a review of your medications can help.
Loss of balance—can cause swaying and a "drunken" type of gait known as ataxia.
Numbness—can occur in the feet. Numbness can make a person with MS unable to feel the floor or know where his or her feet are. This is called "sensory ataxia".
Fatigue— many people will experience problems with walking when fatigue increases.
Dealing with walking problems related to MS
Exercise, physical therapy, walking aids and, in some cases, a review of your medications can help. Each person's walking issue needs to be examined on an individual basis. Make sure you are carefully evaluated by a trained health care professional.
Have questions or concerns?
Call MS LifeLines at 1-877-447-3243 anytime, day or night. A live representative will always answer your call.
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