Does anyone experience this too

Hi Guys,
Hope everyone is feeling the best they can be.
Just a quick question.

When i am going down stairs my legs shake like mad, it is not all the time, but is happening more often than i like.I have to hold on to both sides of the stairs when this happens it is very unnerving.

This shaking in my legs only gets that bad when i go down the stairs, not when going up.

I do feel my legs shaking at times when i walk, this happens when i get the "Jittery Feeling" if that makes sense to you. As if your co-ordination is out of whack.

Ok i will leave this question with you all and hope someone can give me an explaination or even just share their experiences of this weird thing.

Many Thanks in advance for all your help and for taking the time time to respond to my post.

Kindest Regards and Be Well
Julie xx

[supermum_ms]

Hey Julie,

You've got me stumped lol, if its muscle related i would of thought that going up would be at least equally wobbly, you actually need more strength going up, so i dont understand why just going down is making you feel jittery.

Could the problem be depth perception, if thats off it can make you feel discombobulated unless your on an even surface. The only other thing that pops to mind is vertigo, which would explain the need to hold your self steady with both sides, vertigo and perception often go together.

Someone i'm sure will know of or experience the same thing.

Cheers.....JJ

[HVAC]

MY legs get shakey (shaky) if I have been hiking a few miles, especially if I get hot. It usually passes.

Alex

[Eyesnlegs]

Going down stairs is much harder than going upstairs for a large number of reasons. You would think it was the opposite but it puts a lot of strain on muscles (especially hamstrings which in those with MS ate typically weak)  and joints also going downstairs.

I have the same problem with stairs and walking downhill, sheer strength issues alone cannot account for this.  If you have arthritis in your knees it is typical for downstiars/downhill to be much harder too.

Proprioception can often be the issue n this situation, for me it is both that and arthritis which makes teh downhil/stairs thing a real issue.

As Julie says depth perception can also be an issue but would not make them shake.

Pat

[jules2212]

Hi Guys thanks for your response to my post.

My legs can get shakey (shaky) going upstairs but the shake in them at times going down really has me worried.

I am still in limbo with my neuro currently taking the " Lets wait and see/ get more evidence of disease" senario.

Thanks Again i dont know what i would do without you all as i have lost most of my family, i have a husband and children and i love them dearly but dont know what i'm going through and still no answers 2 years on. Sorry for the rant (lol)

Take Care all and Be Well
(((((hugs)))))    Julie xx

[thornygates]

I often have a shaking leg going down stairs too. it is normally only one leg. I do have ataxia so I figure it has something to do with that. I don't know. I hold on with both hands or use my cane for one side but that seems real unstable to me.

This can also happen on uneven surfaces or even just standing if the weather turns colder. I have no idea what cold has to do with it but it does. mine is like a tremor only a really wide or sever tremor. not like my arms when i hold them out in front of me. that's nothing compared to the leg thing.

going up stairs is hard only because my legs don't have the strength to pull me up. There are only 9 steps to my apt. yet, sometimes it might as well be a mountain.

I've been in "wait and see" limbo for 4 yrs. so I don't know if that would be a normal thing for MS or not.

[jensequitur]

Hey, are they just feeling trembly and weak, or are they jerking uncontrollably?

I've experienced tremor in my legs - it's quite disconcerting.  It feels like the floor is shaking.

I've also had uncontrollable movement in the legs - I think they call those myoclonic jerks.

[ack65]

Hey there,

I'm in limbo too and have the shakey (shaky) legs going down the stairs and walking down hill.  I am much better walking up.  I thought it was due to me tensing my muscles as I am afraid my legs might give out going down and I will fall (has happened before).  Going down stairs I put my right leg down first on each step as that is my better side - my left side is numb and weak.

The stairs are better than hills as they usually have a railing to hold onto.  I have come to the point where I can't get down my friends steep drive way without hanging on to someone which means it may require me to use the cane again.  Part of it is depth perception for me too. - Anna

[jules2212]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post all u guys r brilliant.

Im sorry for the delay in answering i have had a couple of bad days with one thing and another.

My legs do get weak when going upstairs also the left leg is weaker than the right, someone once described it as having a heavy sand bag attached to the leg or arm  which ever limb is affected, and i could'nt describe it any better.

I have a lot of things happening at the minute, i have more symptoms and now with the constant muscle twitching in legs and feet i now have the buzzing sensation also. I had this symptom happening on and off almost every day. Now it is constant in both legs and feet only stopping for 2/3 seconds at a time this has been ongoing for almost 2 weeks.

I am going to make an appointment with the neuro i saw last time, give him 1 more try to see if he will look into finding the cause of  whats happening now. If he is still of the"  wait and see " opinion i will get rid of him and see a new doc.
i'm fortunate enough to have private health care and i also have my GPs full support with this so that helps emencely. The only thing putting me off is having to tell a new doc the whole story again. I dont know how anyone else feels about it, but it puts me right off (if u know what i mean) .

Once again Guys THANK YOU !!!!!
U r all the best

Take Care and Be Well
Julie xxxxx

[wvgirl1973]

I know this post was in 2010 but I am now going thru the same things. I am waiting on results from spinal tap (MS?)
I am curious as to what your doctors figured out and if you still have the symptoms or they resolved?

[Lulu54]

Hi and welcome.  I don't know that you will hear from Jules because she has not been here since 2010.

One thing that this problem could also be caused by is spasticity.  If those leg muscles aren't stretching and pulling correctly, you can get a jerky motion.  I have this problem going down stairs, too. On ech step going down I can feel the little tug of war going on with my muscles.

best,
L

[Joanna1952]

I just found this post also and have the same problem, sometimes support myself leaning against the wall as I walk down stairs. The shaky legs going down my stairs just started a few months ago.  Please let us know what you found out.