For you learned folk.....do any of you find yourself walking kinda side to side, it's as if I've widened my stride in order to compensate for some balance.??

Billye

is why I advocate PT...so we can re-learn how to walk right.
When our sense of where we are in 'time and space' is altered, well our body usually compensates. Given long term issues and complications we over-compensate. Thus do the quirky walk stuffs. What nerves we have left are trying to re-connect to other active nerves to DO whatever Job they are meant to do.. Thus the more we exercise [but correctly,] the better we can USE what we have left to the best and proper advantage.
Essentially 're-program' ourselves to do that which is 'proper' and not 'pseudo-defenisve'.
The whole TILT issue? Yep I do it, am guilty. But I know it and work on it.
Worse issue is how to keep diligent after PT ends. You usually do so well after PT's over that you tend NOT to do more exercises...Wherein lies a major potential snag. You forget the disciplines, get lazy and boom! New fall= injury. Whole cycle begins all over again.
The DUCK walk I call it...sort of a waddle, shifting from foot to foot more sideways than forwards. All's I can say is KEEP moving!? Moving constantly keeps it from becoming more static.
Walk on? - j

I was just going to say I walk like a duck - but Dahlek beat me to it... but defintely yes... I find the more tired I am, the worse the PN, etc... the wider my stride and also I point my feet out - definately to try to keep balance and stay upright... better then taking a header!

You both just described the issue. I am tilting terribly. But I do start physical therapy on Monday for these issues and the fracture problems. I know I can expect more pain and more tiredness. I just seem to get so very tired now. Catch myself falling asleep sitting up. But some changes may be in the wind. I'm to see an endocrinologist in a couple of weeks. Maybe he can help with some of this.

Thanks for verifying what I already knew. duck waddle walk. yep, that's me.

Billye

EXACTLY STATIC?
IN PT....be up front about what your 'tired' zones are...I have found switching off, from one exercise to another as some make me MORE tired than others is a good way to deal with it... My best phrase has been 'I got here, I'm doing THIS, after THIS, I'm gonna have to ask myself if I can GET BACK!' I've found doing the 'little bits' of this 'n that' exercises, has been the best to give me the variations and ranges of things that could/should be done. Without wearing us beyong that comfy point. IF you can tough it out and to the 'rounds' they want you to do in tens and twenties, but only in fives repeated four times w/o the crash fatigue...well, that's the way to GO?
I did the short and repeat time last PT round and found I was doing better than the LONGER round of similar PT the year before...
ONly thing better to correct the 'waddle' is a FULL-LENGTH MIRROR positioned at the key part of your house to totally reveal all faults! I'm not THERE YET?
I am Progressive, I am not THAT up to self-revelations? -
Waddle on? - j

You know, I never talked with anyone about this before...

do you mean you try to stay sort of one top of your feet? I try to keep them under me so that when my knees go, I'm on top of my feet.

I bet that's not what you mean... cuz you talked about lengthening stride.

When this happens for me, my steps get very small, and then my back gets tight and that increases back pain...

A wide gait is typical for balance problems. As my neuropathy goes through its ups and downs, my gait changes with it. I definitely have a wide gait at times. And often, I almost fall to the left, with my right foot stepping to left, rather than straight ahead, and losing my balance.

Just last week this happened in public, and I had to sort of explain that, really, "I'm okay, I just have a balance issue." I don't think if the guy thought I was drunk or ill, but I had to say something.

There's nothing wrong with the width of the gait, per se, it's rather a good way of compensating when our sensors are off.

Oh. I'm still not sure I can visualize how it looks.

I get this slipping feeling a lot, or used to. I used to get it so often I couldn't go anywhere I didn't have a cart to hold on to.

If I wasn't holding on to a cart, my arms would flail up to help me catch my balance... only I wasn't falling, I only felt as if my foot hadn't hit the floor, so I looked totally ridiculous.

Once it happened when I was on stairs, and I did fall, but I grabbed the rail, so I didn't fall down the stairs, just into the rail. but it leaves such a sickening feeling.

Thank you so much for explaining. I really appreciate it.

First i started seeng it in my mom her brother would say Jonnie how
long have you been walking like a Duck. She would tell him to hush
and he did,her sisters would speak up as well. Well when i was siting
at work ,which was almost never..I stare at strange people's feet,and
there it was the duck walk...I would go home call her and say Mom
i saw more people walking like a duck. Welling did you ask any of those
smart Dr.s why some people like your mother walk that way. I didn't
so she did,he said why Jonnie you protecting yourself from falling or
believe me you will if you don't just keep doing it or you will fall. Hasn't
any Dr. told you ,YOU have PN,he gave her a tiny book and told her to
read it. But belive me that Duck walk is going to help you with your
balance. Before she died she said Sue that's odd you walk like a Duck...
And i do my son who Does PT would tell you you have a Duck walk. When
i asked him why when sitting in a chair why my ankles fall and they won't
straighten up,he smiles and said it's a duck sitting down... Really i love
him...sometimes.. Sue

Boy, you sure explained that really well. I feel as if I know your family a little bit now.

Thank you for taking the time to put all of that into writing.

(((((((Shiney Sue))))))))