Walking on tip toes

[Parkiewife]

Hi! Am wanting to know if any Parkie walks on tip toes, which in turn, creates severe balance issues. Husband is starting to do this. Has anyone found a solution to that problem? Thanks for sharing....

[Anid]

Hope someone can tell you why regards

[superjanet]

It's typical of PD. My husband does a weekly exercise class which helps and he also uses a stick or sometimes a rollator. It's usually worse when his medication is running out so sometimes I have to remind him to stand up straight and take proper steps.

[jillannf6 in reply to superjanet]

hi

i am the same altho i hav epsp

i tend to go on wot my toes hten stagge rand fall over

i go to a tai chi class once a week which is great for balance and for walking properlly - balll fo foot on the ground first then heel etc

it seems that we need ot learn to walk again which is difficult since i tis what we have been doing since"knee high to a grasshopper"

lol jill

plz excuse all the typos!!

[Parkiewife in reply to jillannf6]

Thank you! Yes. It's too bad that PD robs you of something we all take for granted and you have to constantly remind yourself how to sit, walk, eat. Bless you!

[AMHACK in reply to jillannf6]

This is true. Early on I had to go thru 2 6 week session s of physical therapy and occupational therapy because of the whole right side of my body shutting down. I had to learn how to walk again. And when I came to a stop I would fall over. That was before they were able to get the dosage on the levodopa right.

[Parkiewife in reply to superjanet]

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately husband has both stick and rollator which hasn't helped much since he has a tendency to "run" while on his tiptoes! And he will not attend any exercise classes!

[blessed4431]

I did that off and on then I started taking tai chi class and that helped

[Jocee]

Not now, but as a child, I walked on my toes for several years..........strange......

[Brooke]

My Nuero told we when I start to walk say heel toe and walk like that, it helps

[Kadie57]

I do this all the time, it helps to stretch before getting out of bed, but I seem to do this to steady myself, Sounds odd but it helps me by no one trying to pass me or hurry to help me walk, I know I m on my toes not to worry it slows us Parkies down, don't want us running races then breaking a vase LOL KADIE

[jillannf6 in reply to Kadie57]

hi kadie

i agree with you on this

i tend to drop and break things too

lol jill

[Kadie57]

MY walker helped, and to say to myself heel/ toe, heel/toe,heel toe.

[srarndt]

Yes, I do it regularly...it was one of my more recent symptoms to add to my list...It seems to happen most often when i am in a hurry...

Thanks for asking...I think i shall do some research...

Steve

Bisbee, AZ

[jillannf6 in reply to srarndt]

hi steve

yes plz do some researh on why we alll do this

1

thanks

jill lol and a hug

and a

[forest1]

I walked on tip toes on my r foot. tried Functional electrical stimulation, saw orthotics but nothing made a large difference. Stretching the calf muscles is important. Had botox in my calves for first time last week and I feel this has made a difference,

[Pete-1]

I find I do that sometimes. It is a way of being able to take a step when otherwise I would be completely stuck with the risk of a fall. One of which I had the yesterday or the day before.

The other thing that helps is to take exaggerated steps, lifting the foot much higher than would be required to continue on the level. More like the hight needed to climb a step.

[Parkiewife]

Y'all have been so helpful! I've been given some great advice and tips! I'm encouraging my husband to join an on line support group. We belong to a support group, but he is rather shy and this site might just enable him to ask questions. Thanks so much! Good luck and God Bless to all, Kathy

[jillannf6 in reply to Parkiewife]

good if your husband can join a group

htey are so helpful

loll jIll

[grower]

Just in case he's on it as well, my mother used to do that when she was on the anti-psychotic Respiradol and the symptom remained as a permanent side effect when they stopped the drug too

[retiredteacher]

Yes, my husband has done that for quite a while. It kind of went away this winter, only to return. He has had DBS surgery (March 2012), and he's two weeks away from programming. I think the programming helps and he's gone too long without any changes in it. He seems to have started doing this again following some other health issues-a kidney stone, and having the flu. (He did have a flu shot.) For him, it seems to be the only thing they can't really program away. Physical therapy helps, getting outside and walking helps, but he just hasn't had the energy to do much this winter. Hoping spring brings some renewal of energy. Yes, it's very common, and a worry for me that he will fall.

[pingopenguin]

Hi Parkiewife,

Walking on tiptoes is part of a regime called "Otago" balance programme.

People are asked to walk forward on there tiptoes and then backwards on there tiptoes.The same on there heels only.

Pigeon stepping "heel to toe" slowly.

All of the above are used to promote balance:- The person should look directly in front, not up or down and walk:- preferably holding on to nothing or just a bar/top of a chair.

The walking fast bit is anxiety "to get from A to B in the quickest time"

Tai Chi/Putkisto/yoga will help with this problem.

Chair based exercises will probably be the way to go if he uses a rollator/stick.

Part of the 22 components are stretches using therabands where your husband will be able to stretch out his legs.

If he will not go to classes:- Get the classes to go to him !

Buy a theraband and get advice from his physio department on how to do the stretches or go on the internet and source.

The theraband will only be £5.00 max :- be sure he sits on a hard chair when he does the exercises.NOT ARMCHAIR OR ON BED !!!

Good luck

[Parkiewife in reply to pingopenguin]

Thanks! I've the therabands and will look on line for exercises. He's just received updated batteries last week. His doc feels that more fine tuning could be done - have our next adjustment for first of April. Hope that helps as well. Best, Kathy