Gait abnormality

[staley]

Maybe once a day (or at least a couple times a week), I for some reason plant either my left or right foot on the outside of the foot.  It is not a rollover situation, but I literally come down on the outside of the foot. Before this started happening, on two occassions, I caught the toes of my left foot while walking, or sometimes it felt like my left foot was sticking to the floor when walking.  These toe catching/sticking to floor situations occured when I'm stressed. I also had two incidents when I was standing and felt frozen (for 2-3 seconds) on the verge of losing balance, but like my brain was trying to calculate balance. Anyway, a neuro did the usual office tests and found no abnormalities. My primary gave me klonopin.  

I can walk on my toes and heels without a problem.  Babinksi reflexes are normal. Tendon reflexes at the knee and elbows are normal. Heel to shin tests are normal. Rapid alternating movement tests are normal (flipping hands on thighs, finger pointing). Tapping feet on ground test is normal. Standing with feet together with eyes closed test is normal.  Walking heel to toe test is normal. I can feel cold, light touch, vibrations normally on my shins/ankles. No clonus observed at ankles. I do get lots of twitching and have restless legs at times. Sometimes before falling to sleep, my hands or feet will flutter momentarily.

I feel though that there is something going on between my brain and feet.  I don't seem to have any problem playing tennis or golf or softball.  I think but am not sure that the stepping on the outside of my feet started after the klonopin, so i don't know if there is a connection. But for sure, all the other symptoms started before the klonopin. I am in my mid-40s. Any ideas as to what could be causing this.

[Redpanda7]

Hi Staley,
I started to have very similar problem and it's been 5 years now from the time I noticed initially.
I haven't been able to get any answer from any Drs yet.
How is your symptom now? Have you gotten anywhere with your diagnosis?

[bumblebizto]

Hey Staley, how have you been? Interesting things occurring to your walking patterns. At least it doesn't seem to be happening consistently. The pattern of your symptoms sound alot like mine, which occur sporadically and dont seem to have any particular "triggers". My symps are mainly mild burning and tingles, not affecting gait or standing, etc. Maybe an MRi might bring you closer to an answer, if you can arrange to have one performed. I've self-tested for nuero symptoms, and I;ve had friends and family do the Babinski test, I have no L'Hermittes sign, and the fingernail-tapping test, but I do have an exam in two weeks at the local Neuro's (1 block away!). We'll see where this all goes