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WALKING/BALANCE
Walking (also known as gait) problems are fairly common for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Five MS symptoms that can affect walking are:
- Muscle weakness
Can cause toe drag, foot drop, and other gait abnormalities. - Spasticity
Can interfere with walking because it most commonly affects the leg muscles. - 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
May cause problems with walking as exhaustion increases.
Dealing with walking/balance issues:
When it comes to managing walking/balance issues related to MS, exercise, physical therapy, walking aids, and, in some cases, a review of your medications can help. However, MS is different for everyone. So, each person's walking issue needs to be examined on an individual basis.
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