What Does “Unsteady Gait” Mean?
With all of the football, hockey, and other full body contact sports happening right now, it is easy to see why injuries happen. Some of these incidents result in what is known as unsteady gait. Of course you don’t have to be an athlete to have a walking abnormality. Some people are born with this condition, and some develop it later in life through trauma or illness.
There are different kinds of gait abnormalities. They include spastic gait which involves dragging one foot, waddling gait which is seen more often in children and resembles a duck walking, and steppage gait which is classified by lifting the leg higher than normal when walking.
Usually an abnormality occurs after an injury to the spinal cord or brain. People who suffer head trauma (athletes, construction workers, etc.) are more prone to developing this type of problem. However, other factors that can contribute include arthritis, fracture, or even other foot conditions such as tendonitis or calluses. It’s a good idea to have an evaluation, because sometimes by fixing a different problem the gait issue resolves.
There are also exercises that can be done to control the way your legs and feet function together. You can try standing on one foot and lifting your knee up to your hips. When you put weight on the knee, it’s even more effective. The goal is to strengthen your muscles and get them working in sync with each other.
If you have more questions about gait abnormalities or exercises you can do to control your muscles, give us a call at 623-584-5556. At Fixing Feet Institute in Surprise, AZ we are committed to finding the problem and figuring out the solution to bring your feet back to health.
Photo credit: MeiTeng via RGB-stock
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