Nature of symptoms
Difficulty walking is a very common neurological symptom and can occur in numerous medical conditions. To determine the exact causes of gait unsteadiness, an examination by an orthopaedic surgeon or rheumatologist is often necessary. In principle, gait unsteadiness can occur at any stage of life, but its frequency increases significantly with age: 15 percent of people over 60 complain of gait unsteadiness, and 20 to 25 percent of people over 80 need a walking aid. Gait and balance disorders not only impair quality of life, but also lead to increased falls and thus to a considerable risk of injury.
Possible causes and indications of disease
- Overexertion, circulatory problems, joint problems (osteoarthritis)
- Dizziness in general and disorders of the vestibular system
- Anxiety disorders, functional disorders
- Circulatory disorders of the brain
- Herniated disc, which can lead to feelings of leg weakness and thus to an unsteady gait
- Multiple sclerosis, which often manifests itself in gait disorders and gait unsteadiness, especially at the beginning, due to feelings of leg weakness and coordination disorders.
- In Parkinson’s disease, an unsteady gait is also common due to increasing stiffness and lack of movement.
- A possible cause can also be a paraplegic injury, which if it develops slowly (e.g. in spinal stenosis) can first lead to sensory disturbances, then to an unsteady gait due to coordination disturbance and leg weakness.
