OT while walking... what's happening?

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admin
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OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by admin »

Modulation Of Orthostatic Tremor During Gait

Orthostatic Tremors and walking... what happens during a normal gait? Why is standing a problem, but limited walking can offer partial relief for some people?

Apparently the tremor is reduced as your toe leaves the ground and your leg begins it's swing phase. But once your heel strikes the ground the tremor is back. The foot that is doing all the work that is experiencing the tremor, even when your walk.


Researchers from the Neurology Department of the University Hospital Mannheim, Germany, performed gait analysis on 6 OT patients and found some answers.

Their conclusion is that the amplitude (the displacement caused by the muscle contraction) modulates during gait. It is greater or less during different phases of walking. The heel strike (when your heel first hits the ground) showed the greatest activity, and the toe-off (when you first lift your foot) began a phase with less activity until the next heel strike.

But, throughout the gait, the one thing that didn’t change was the frequency (the speed of the tremor). So, based upon their results, the tremor always remained but the severity of the tremor changes.

read the abstract here > http://bit.ly/OTgaitResearch

Blahak, C., Wolf, M.E., Bazner, H., Capelle, H.H., Krauss, J.K., Hennerici, M.G.; Modulation of orthostatic tremor during gait [abstract]. Movement Disorders 2012;27 Suppl 1 :1233

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gloria
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by gloria »

This a great study of muscular contraction / tremor during OT walking.........this is what we feel !!!!!! Gloria
karee
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by karee »

How can I get this test ordered. To prove hat I'm dealing with is real. All the falls. All the stress and anxiety and exhaustion. Is this a surface EMG??
admin
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by admin »

Is this a surface EMG??
Hi Karee

Yes the report mentioned "tremor was analysed in surface EMG recordings". I would assume that the only way would be to ask your doctor.

best regards
DEEmou
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by DEEmou »

I often wondered about this, as I'm quite new to a diagnosis. I can feel my walking movement affected...it feels like a juddering movement ..not graceful at all? same when I am descending stairs :oops: :? does anyone else feel this? DEE
LMP1
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by LMP1 »

Hello Dee

I certainly have those feelings when walking. Before I was diagnosed in 2009, I couldn't even walk in a straight line. My Neurologist advised me to take bigger strides and that certainly helped, but if I'm having a "bad" day, my walking seems to revert back. Then I bump into things and get very clumsy. I had an 'event' three days ago when I was about to get into my car. I bumped my head slightly on the door (nothing serious) and then my legs started buckling under me. I tried fighting it but my legs were not co-operating and I ended up on the ground on my knees. It took a lot of effort to pull myself up using the car door then sitting in the driver's seat to catch my breath. I was able to drive fine, but when I got out of the car my legs were like jelly. Since then the tops of my legs have been very sore as though they are internally bruised, although this morning when I got up I felt that the pain was not too bad, so hopefully things are improving.

I do walk our dog every day for exercise, despite days when my legs are screaming at me to rest. I don't want to lose the use of them, so keep at it.

I must add that I have been under quite a bit of stress, which leads to tiredness, dealing with some family issues, and believe that is the reason for this 'event'.

Cheers, Lynette
gloria
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by gloria »

Hi! Dee & Lynette: It is hard to answer both of you because I believe what you are saying is that you are experiencing OT symptoms while starting walking. What I think is possibily happening is your timing of being already in a standing mode too long before you try to start your walking and your leg muscles are already contracting. With OT we must start walking as soon as we stand and walk at a good heel toe pace with your walking...walking is the known best factor for our legs and OT people can walk for long walks as long as they go at a good steady pace. This is why thinking that walking your dog is sufficient excercise for your legs, it is because dog walking is a stop and go standing situation not a good muscle pace. Lynette I think I read in one of your posts that your neurologist had said something too about walking at a faster pace was better and you found that to be true...... I hope this helps and that I understood correctly what your problem was that you were not starting your walking quick enough from a standing position ???????? All the best, Gloria
DEEmou
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by DEEmou »

THANK-YOU GLORIA, that's quite interesting your explanation as to the symptoms of o.t whilst walking..will definitely put your advice into practice, and step up speed, my thinking is i'm a bit apprehensive as i feel unsteady especially if i'm on uneven ground, and also lack confidence if i am on my own whilst out(these days I tend not to go out a lot) :o
gloria
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by gloria »

Dee: I feel you must use your judgement as to safe grounds for you to do your walking at a "steading pace" outside. If you do not have confidence in your ground areas and " [ I tend not to go out a lot ] " perhaps you might want to purchase a treadmill and do your walking inside. Sorry I can't think of anything else that might help, Gloria
DEEmou
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Re: OT while walking... what's happening?

Post by DEEmou »

Thank-you Ladies :) for taking the time to reply to my post, I too have constant bruises on the side of my leg as I,m constantly bumping into things :roll: unfortunately Gloria I just dont have the space to store a treadmill, my vibrating plate use to be my favourite form of excercise somehow I cant imagine using now.....definitely cant see it 'improving my O.T symptoms' !!! :lol: :lol:
I do manage to do some gardening,attending my flower pots (my gardener does the more manual jobs lawns etc) and housework as long as I rest up in between for a little while..and spread it out over the week..and I'm.up n down like a yo-yo :lol: I am not one for sitting around, yes a lot of days are challenging...I'm on a full dose of Gabapentin of 3600mg twice a day now..although I don't see a great improvement , anyone else on this dose? I do find I tend to be exhausted most days, but a couple of days in the last few weeks I found I was 'on a roll' done too much and ended up with a lot of muscle pain in my legs, also as I'm typing just now my legs I've notice give sudden jerks and have been on many occasions, is this part of O.T? Thank-you for your continuing support. Best wishes to you all DEE :)
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