leaning to left when walking

My husband is 74 a smoker and has now started leaning to his left while walking and sometimes falls over he has been to a falls clinic [only because I forced his hand not by his choice} who sent out a physio.who could not see a reason why he does this now my husband has told them not to come anymore as he doesn,t need them but he still does need help he wont go to the Dr. what could I be dealing with it,s worrying me . This is new to me I don't know who to go to for help /advice

[TheresaCurley]

I know how frustrating this is, I have a stubborn 70 year old husband also. In my opinion the only thing you can do is convince him he needs to see a doctor. There are dozen of things that can be causing this balance problem and he needs to get evaluated.

[BillDavid]

I was diagnosed in 20004, noticed at the time that the effect seemed much more on my non-dominant side, I am right handed. One of the things I had noticed was that I had lost body strength, in that I was no longer able to lift my 90# canoe on my shoulders (had a yoke mounted on the middle thwart). No problem, bought a lite weight Kelvar Canoe it weighed 50#, could easily lift and carry on shoulders. Today I am 75. Back in 20004, was clear that I had mor symptoms on left side as well as more strength lost compared to right side. Assumed that meant had more PD (certainly symptoms on left. Today, I am 75. Meanwhile two things of note at the time of diagnosis. I had practiced TaCh for years, imense help. and had seriously damaged my left knee as youth. Wore brace for years,, My share of falls. At that p[oint was taught how to fall, later this has beeen a big deal. Recommend that your husband get connected with a physical therapist to train on how to fall with relative safety.

To continue and explain why it is possible that I and your husband may be having some shared experiences. First thing I noticed was when seated on a bench seat tended to lean left. Then started having some gait problems on the left. Stood wide because of tachi and turned left foot out some. Taichi protects me from falling over either left or right. My falling is associated with my bad knee failing to carry my weigh, falls are to righ and forward. Alex Kertyen talks about it in his book Goodbye Parkinson's Hello life. For me its more than leaning left, there is a rotation of your right side twisting in and moving forward. Latest thing is that my left foot and ankle are supinating, , rotating counterclockwise to where walk on outside of foot. My podiatrist sent me to physical therapy. using bands has been a big help. And then an experience that may not apply? Had major problems with bad left knee (not pd). Anyhow at taht point using a full size walkinh stick was a big help.

BillDavid.

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[paddyfields in reply to BillDavid]

Really!!you do wonder about some "specialists". This is a known problem with PWP's. As it happens getting up the other night I lurched suddenly to the right where the top of the staircase is and gave myself a fright I resolved to leave the light on in a nearby bedroom as we use our eyes in maintaining balance and get a childgate across with stairhead. Lurching in the dark was one of the many pre-dx. things I did not report to the GP. I would have thought Nordic poles might help

[Boyce3600 in reply to BillDavid]

Interesting. I have noticed my husband parks vehicle slanted to left and drives at times hugging left line

[johntPM]

11 years post-diagnosis, I have a stoop, a lean to the left and a twist right hip forward. All get worse if I go on a long walk (>10km). All improve, but don't go away entirely, if I take levodopa. I think it is dystonia caused by a shortage of dopamine.