Balance and falls

[lindamorgan]

Does anyone else find that their balance is not good and have the occasional falls?

I also find myself walking into things as well.

[Hidden]

Yup, my OH caught me the other day or I would have been under a car... And the doors get narrower as I walk through them I am constantly misjudging them

And hitting the door frames....

Vg x

[comber]

All the time. i constantly ask myself, is it the FM, is it the pain in my feet and ankles, or is it the meds? Most of the time, (as I suspect do many, many people on this site), I feel like a sailor setting foot on dry land for the first time after months at sea.

[Hidden]

I walk into things all the time, no door frame is big enough for me to walk through without misjudging it! I'd love to blame the meds but I've been doing it for years now way before any meds

I don't fall much...unless you count falling UP the stairs, which I seem to do a lot!

[Jjudith]

It's a funny thing with balance - I do yoga and pilates and I am likely to fall even when I am lying on my side, so the balance isn't a just on my feet experience. It is getting better with some therapeutic pilates that was given to me by a physio in Dubai (the movements are so small that almost anyone could do it, however difficult their life is). Firstly, lie on your back with both legs outstretched and SLOWLY move one leg back towards your buttocks, if you find you are weakest on one side concentrate on that side only at first. The aim is to try to do it smoothly, do about 5. When you start doing it more smoothly, then try the other leg as well. Then exercise 2 - again try on weakest side first - lie on the floor with both legs bent and feet flat on the floor. This needs a REALLY mini movement. Put your hands on your hips. Then very, very slowly move one leg out a centimetre or so, then move it back to centre and in a centimetre. Do 5 times or so. Then when you have started to get the weak leg movement smoother, do it with the other side. Then exercise 3. Lie on your side, put both of your legs straight and on top of each other (you will need to use your arm to balance, and you might need a pillow under your head). Then bend your knees back to right angles. Oh boy is this a mini exercise. Life the upper leg very slowly indeed, just a fraction, until you feel that your muscles are starting to engage in the lift - about half a centimetre, then lower the leg down slowly under control until it is totally relaxed again. 5 times and then do the other side. Do this at least once a day, maybe twice. It strengthens your core muscles and makes it easier to balance. I am not perfect but it is definitely much better since I started this, it takes a few weeks before you start to feel the difference.

[FIBROTURKEY in reply to Jjudith]

Hiya Judith and all, yes I do Pilates and Yoga for a good few years now, it does actually help with the balance, it is surprising how well you do when in the zone and in a calming experience, just love it!! Outside of this you do stumble sometimes, it is usually walking into door frames, tables, legs go weak and trip over stairs or even the level flooring and boy does it hurt-ouch!! Last year I fell in the garden, was trying to put in a bamboo stick to hold up a shrub, stick broke went head and hands first into garden fence, then stick ended up in my lower leg. This initially was a little scrap, then a lot of pain. As the time went on became a massive lump an a big bruise, then after a few days went to doc to see what he thought, suggested scan. Hospital said when examined, scared me an said it was an abscess, e-mailed my doc to refer to A & E, but thank God thought it would go down on it's own, tough wood been ok, but still mass of dark area an little lump left. Boy did it hurt for a good time. A bit scared in the garden sometimes if I do not get an infected bite it's a fall, he, he, but you gotta humour yourself or you will cry!!!!

What you have to be careful of is to not make sudden or turn around quickly as the does you head in. You all take it steady now and look after yourselves too!!

[Jjudith in reply to FIBROTURKEY]

The therapeutic pilates designed for balance by a specialist physio are different from normal yoga and pilates though.

[FIBROTURKEY in reply to Jjudith]

Hiya Judith that's very interesting to hear, is it only in Dubai an abroad, an does it only have this name, did you find anything about it here? Funny though I have had a few different classes some good an some not so good, he, he!! Some of the movements are a bit similar. A little of a good thing all helps eah! Keep up the good work and take care. x

[Jjudith in reply to FIBROTURKEY]

Hi we have a house in Dubai and we go there for the winter, the medical care is private but the good thing is that people do listen to you properly, unlike many in the medical profession in UK. I went to see a neurological physio after having an MRI scan of my neck that showed I have PC3 (I found about it from a Seattle doctor on tour in UK and was sure I had it) - no doctor private or NHS would organise an MRI scan of my neck here in UK, so when I went to Dubai I had an MRI there and it showed - I have PC3. That means I have a narrow canal where the spinal cord passes through it, and in studies in Seattle 70% of people with fibro have it, the massage movement of the spinal cord as the neck moves causes the autonomic nervous system to dysfunction. So I saw a neuro physio in Dubai and she was used to people with balance problems and taught me some therapeutic pilates which to date has been the most useful thing for my balance, though it is still not as good as 'normal' but so much better.. I haven't found any similar physio/therapist here in UK unfortunately.

[jillylin]

Yes, I have balance issues. One day I nearly pitched myself down a flight of stairs but fortunately OH caught me in time. I fall of my kitchen steps as well. I have seen a neurologist but he was useless.

[bel29]

yes I have balance problems and occasional falls. Worst fall was 2 years past when I fell down stairs breaking my heel. I fall up the stairs a lot but nothing serious. I now have a phobia of stairs and anyone walking behind me as my bones have healed but still have awful pain in foot . supermarket trolleys scare the life out of me lol Have had all the tests and no cause has been found regarding balance issue, oh well just need to accept what we can't change..and get on with life.Big hugs x

[Malwimmy27]

I'm the same, seem really clumsy. Bumping into doors, tables, door frames. I'm sure these things jump out at me as I walk by lol. I'm forever over balancing, it can be funny sometimes depending on the situation. I'm dizzy at times. Can't put it down to anything else apart from the fibro.

Becky. X

[Midori]

I'm another faller, I'm currently going to the Falls group at my local hospital, but it isn't really helping.

[lcm27]

Hi

I'm another with bad balance. i totter all over the place, even hanging out the washing, once went the whole length of the kitchen and ended up slamming into the cooker having just a fraction gone over on my slipper. I seem to do this a lot. I dump into doors, doorframes, tables, infact anything I have to go past of through. Thought it was an ear infection causing this but doc says ears are ok. Do your ears feel like the run during the night? I do jewellery making to help my eye hand coordination but it hasn't helped my head/door frame co-ordination. You are defo not alone in this.

[haribo36]

Hi there,I do this all the time as well.In fact today I went round my sisters as it was her sons 16th birthday and when she opened the door and I stepped in I fell over to my right side as if I was drunk and it was right embarrassing.I find that the worse my other fm symptoms are the worse the balance issues are x