My husband has started leaning/falling to the left. Is this a common progression? Apart from one dramatic forward dive downstairs, until

[NannaB]

4 days ago, he only fell backwards. He is now very unstable, even with his walker as although it stopped him falling backwards, it doesn't help with sideways falls.

Nanna B

[MaddyS]

Hi NanaB

My hubby has been leaning to the left for some months now. It has slowly been getting worse. Walking aides are of no use, he needs me to hold his right hand and left arm when going anywhere in the house. I walk backwards - this way we have been able to avoid almost all falls. It's hard on my knees when he suddenly leans sideways. He is unable to walk now, except shuffle from his chair to the bathroom/bedroom.

Take care.

[Hidden]

The balance, gait and posture mechanisms are very complex and when damage occurs to certain brain areas in PSP, the response can be quite variable. While falling backwards is supposed to be typical in PSP, many do not exclusively fall backwards (if at all). My wife began her balance problems with forward falls, but a year later she was falling backwards and sideways, as well as forwards. She can hardly walk at all now, and I have to hold her with every short distance transfer. She certainly wobbles in all directions, and thus can fall in any direction! I guess your hubby's balance system is becoming more damaged and hence the changes in his pattern of falls. Remember, this situation may change for short periods of time (due to the intermittent nature of PSP).

Also, Parkinson's type sufferers find it hard to turn smoothly, and this adds to the direction in which they may tend to fall. Then, of course, there is the freezing gait that inevitably appears.

I'm sure you have a physiotherapist (physical therapist) who can guide you with some practical suggestions to prevent or minimise these falls. Sadly, for my wife, she requires someone present all the time if she has to move/transfer from one place to another.

All the best.

[LyndaP]

Dear NannaB

My husband has also started leaning to the left, he has CBD and his right side has always been affected. I did query the left leaning in clinic this week and was advised it is because his right side is more rigid he will tend to lean to the left. Like MaddyS I was walking backwards with my husband until recently but after one more fall (we both went down) we have now decided we cannot do this any longer and now rely on hoists which we have fitted.

Regards

Lynda

[cabbagecottage in reply to LyndaP]

We have just had a hoist it was arranged through the OT .

Up until now I have managed my husband myself , I started recently having carers in to get him into bed withIn a month we also had them in the morning . It has suddenly a got worse , hence the hoist so they are going to come in twice more during the day . I feel so frustrated that I cannot manage the hoist myself . I wouldn't need anyone at all if I could .Dam !

[NannaB]

Thanks everyone for your responses. It's just another thing we have to get used to is'nt it. Best wishes to you all.

Nanna B

[carolinesimmons]

My husband has never fallen backwards! It is almost always a balance issue. He "walks" with a walker but that doesn't necessarily prevent his falling. He tries to turn too sharply, he lags behind his walker, he leans one way or the other, etc. Every fall but one has been what I call a "soft fall" where he grabs at something - wall, furniture, me, etc. - and breaks his fall. Now I am always at his back holding on at his waist lightly and when I detect his loss of balance, I try to compensate before he goes down. Usually it works. But he only walks between his bed, chair and bathroom. Isn't it strange how the same disease affects each patient so differently!

[jillannf6]

hi al

I have always fallen to the righ tbut now it can be backwards or to the left

but the right side still bears the brunt of my falls hence all the bruises and the knee and ankle probs with the right side!

lol Jill

and a big

[Hidden]

Mum's head began to lean to the right after trialling some medication which disagreed with her dopamine and the leaning only changed every time she was ill. So I came to the conclusion that the right side had become weak and although it was nice to see her head straight on occasion it began to dawn on me that it was a sign that she was ill and both sides had become weak.Does this make sense? Mum knew she was doing it but had no control. Oddly it didn't seem to bother her. When walking with her rollator she also had a tendency to 'drift' to the right and her head would turn to the right so we used to encourage her to look at something directly in front of her and follow them to keep her straight.

[stalbans]

This does worry me as as yet I have not fallen backward, tend at times to semy fall side ways at the moment I or Lynne my wife can stop it

[NannaB in reply to stalbans]

Hi, I hope you don't start to fall backwards and don't worry about it as it may not happen and you have enough to worry about without adding this. Take care. Nanna B