I seem to have discovered an annoying tendency to fall over. (Of falling over? Pedants! Help me!)
It's not something that happens every day, but I definitely seem to have developed a bit of a stumble. Every now and again, that stumble means that I fall over.
I have to be a bit careful first thing in the morning when I get out of bed because my feet are numb and my first few steps are distinctly wobbly. More than once, I've taken a couple of steps and just fallen over like a felled redwood. It doesn't really hurt - well, apart from the time I cracked off the side of the bed before hitting the floor - but it does really scare the bejeesus out of my wife, who is usually still snoozing in the bed. I seem a bit unstable in the shower too. I've only fallen over once that I can remember, but it's such an enclosed space with so many hard edges that I'd hate to come down really hard in there.
I fall over when I'm running too. In fact, I fell over this evening. I drop my left leg when I get tired. As well as taking a biomechanical toll on my body, it also means that I scuff my left foot because I'm not lifting it up enough. On uneven surfaces, this is a recipe for disaster. Tonight's little stumble was when I caught my foot on a raised paving stone and just went over. Luckily, I'm as agile as a ninja and managed to execute a nifty little roll when I hit the ground that seemed to take most of the impact and I was able to bounce back up. I just hope the graze on my knee has healed before I have to go an explain myself to my physio....
C. tells me that she can see me starting to drag a leg when we're out and about and I'm tired. I don't know if that's true or not, and I've only fallen over once in town that I can think of... and to be fair, that was at the back end of a long day in Scarborough on a stag do last year, so I'm not inclined to read all that much into that particular episode.
Is this something that I'm going to have to get used to? Something that will be happening more and more often? Ah, who knows. It's not like there's anything much I can do about it, is there? Worse things happen at sea, etc. etc.
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
Was I born this stoical, or was stoicism thrust upon me?
Not yet sherlocked
1 week ago
I often stumble when I'm running. Thankfully I've only fallen a few times. The worst was 5 years ago when I used to go to a running club. Only made it a mile down the road, the Tarmac was flat but it was dark. I'd worn brand new salomon winter running tights and ended up hobbling home, knees torn to shreds (the tights and my skin!). Couldn't bend my legs for a week without bleeding but was more upset about the tights - I stick to cheapies now and have still got scars on my knees!
ReplyDeleteJen
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteFall over, methinks!
Same thing happens to me. I have fluctuating numbness in both feet, left less than right, aka Numb and Number. Coupled with pins and needles, mild right leg weakness and a loss of the (proprioception) sensors in my feet-which pick up that a surface is bumpy or whatever, I often have more than a passing acquaintance with uneven surfaces. Trips still outweigh falls, but not by much. This has led to an obsessive scan of the floor/ground when walking, a bit like the soldiers trying to avoid IEDs, without the magic wand.
Does this stop me wearing heels? Does it hell! Motto-while I can, I will (and just walk slower)!
As far as getting out of bed is concerned, found that I greet the carpet less often if Numb goes out before Number. I know this takes concerted effort first thing in the morning!
Good luck!
All the best,
Honeysuckle