6 Medical Conditions That Can Cause Difficulty Walking

• Arthritis. In general, arthritis damages knee and hip tissues, which can lead to discomfort while walking. ...
• Ataxia. ...
• Disorders of the Cerebellum. ...
• Parkinson's Disease. ...
• Multiple Sclerosis. ...
• Cerebral Palsy.

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.

What causes you to have a hard time walking?

What Causes Difficulty Walking? Fractures, bruises, cuts, as well as medical conditions that affect the legs, nerves, brain, or spine can also cause walking difficulties. Some of the common causes of walking difficulties include: Leg injuries.

What disease causes weakness in the legs?

Myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disorder that causes weakness in your voluntary skeletal muscles. It can affect people of any age, but is more common in women under the age of 40 and men older than 60 . Symptoms include: muscle weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet.

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.

Difficulty Walking and Loss of Balance | Causes and Treatments

Why can't I walk all of a sudden?

Sudden difficulty walking or gait changes can be a sign of serious or potentially life-threatening conditions, such as stroke. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) for sudden gait changes or any of the following symptoms indicating stroke: Arm weakness. Face drooping.

What causes weak legs and loss of balance?

Peripheral nerves

The nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord can become damaged, which is called peripheral neuropathy. Weakness, numbness, pain and balance issues can be caused by peripheral neuropathy because it makes it difficult to determine where your body is relative to other objects or the ground.

Does MS affect your walking?

ms frequently causes fatigue, which can limit walking endurance. ms damage to nerve pathways may hamper coordination and/or cause weakness, poor balance, numbness, or spasticity (abnormal increase in muscle tone). Visual or cognitive problems can also interfere with walking.

What does walking with MS feel like?

A person's walking ability can be affected by other MS symptoms, including muscle tightness, numbness in the feet, loss of balance and coordination, foot drop, vision impairments, fatigue, or weakness. A steady gait is not only important for getting from point A to point B—it can also be important for safety.

How can you test if you have MS?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the test of choice for diagnosing MS in combination with initial blood tests. MRIs use radio waves and magnetic fields to evaluate the relative water content in tissues of the body. They can detect normal and abnormal tissues and can spot irregularities.

Why do I feel unsteady on my feet when walking?

Loss of balance or unsteadiness

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?

Causes of Balance Disorders

• decreased blood flow to the brain due to stroke or a chronic condition such as aging.
• traumatic brain injury.
• multiple sclerosis.
• hydrocephalus.
• seizures.
• Parkinson's disease.
• cerebellar diseases.
• acoustic neuromas and other brain tumors.

Does Parkinson's affect legs?

It is common for Parkinson's Disease patients to feel weak. They frequently describe their legs as feeling, “like they're made out of lead,” “like they're in concrete.” But they will also feel weak all over, or describe weakness in their hands or arms.

Can heart problems cause weakness in legs?

Heart failure signs and symptoms may include: Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down. Fatigue and weakness. Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.

Why do I feel like I can't walk properly?

Injuries, such as fractures (broken bones), sprains, and tendinitis. Movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis and peripheral nerve disorders. Vision problems.

When I get up in the morning I can hardly walk?

Age causes the cartilage that cushions your joints to dry out. And your joints make less of the synovial fluid that adds lubrication, causing you to feel stiff and sore. This is sometimes called “morning gel,” because your joints stiffen like gelatin when you're inactive for several hours.

Can barely walk after sitting down?

Foot stiffness after sitting and in the morning is a common symptom of plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a thick ligament on the bottom of your foot, running from the heel to the ball. This condition occurs when that ligament becomes irritated. Plantar fasciitis is common for athletes, specifically runners.

What are usually the first signs of Parkinson's?

10 Early Signs of Parkinson's Disease

• Tremor. Have you noticed a slight shaking or tremor in your finger, thumb, hand or chin? ...
• Small Handwriting. Has your handwriting gotten much smaller than it was in the past? ...
• Loss of Smell. ...
• Trouble Sleeping. ...
• Trouble Moving or Walking. ...
• Constipation. ...
• Masked Face. ...
• Dizziness or Fainting.

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

One of the most prevalent neurological disorders is Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by four cardinal signs: tremor, bradykinesia, rigor and postural instability.

What is often the first symptom of Parkinson disease?

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 diseases can cause loss of balance?

Labyrinthitis: An infection or inflammation of the inner ear that causes dizziness and loss of balance. It is often associated with an upper respiratory infection, such as the flu. Ménière's disease: Episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in the ear), and a feeling of fullness in the ear.

Can a neurologist diagnose balance problems?

Our neurologists and neurosurgeons diagnose and treat balance dysfunction that is the result of neurologic disorders or neurologic impairment. While the vast majority of balance problems are caused by problems with the inner ear, there may be neurological causes for balance disorders which require neurological care.

Can degenerative disc disease cause balance problems?

When vertebra or discs push against those nerves, it can interfere with your body's movements – including your ability to balance. Low back injuries and conditions that affect with your sense of balance include: Compression fractures. Degenerative disc disease.

Can neuropathy in the feet cause balance problems?

Peripheral neuropathy can make you more likely to lose your balance and fall, which can increase your chance of fractures and other injuries. The chronic pain of peripheral neuropathy can also lead to grief, anxiety, and depression link.

What neurological disorders cause balance problems NHS?

Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis are problems with different parts of the inner ear, which are needed for balance: Labyrinthitis is inflammation of the labyrinth – a maze of fluid-filled channels in the inner ear.