Difficulty Walking
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
Content updated on Nov 7, 2023
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Walking difficulties
Can't walk
Sudden inability to walk
Abnormal gait
Trouble walking
Shuffle when I walk
Difficulty walking in a straight line with one foot directly in front of the other
Gait is too unstable to walk following a straight line (e.g. like a tightrope)
Waddling gait
Need to hold into something for supoport while walking
Unable to walk properly
Struggling to walk
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Difficulty Walking quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Body leans to one side when walking
- Unable to walk in a straight line, with the toes of the first foot touching the heel of the next one at each step
- Have to walk with an aid (holding onto something)
- Walking with legs spread left and right
- Cannot walk properly transiently
- Dragging my toes when I walk
- My stride has become shorter
- Shuffling when walking
- Walking abnormalities
- I can't walk without grabbing onto something
- Walking with legs open on both sides
- Gait disturbances that recovered
- Gait disturbances that went away
- Decreasing my stride length
- My foot drags on the ground
See full list
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizAbout the Symptom
Difficulty walking generally describes a person's inability to walk normally. Normal walking consists of a repeated shifting of weight from leg to leg, a back and forth arm swing on both sides, and a typically narrow space between the feet. Most cases of difficulty walking are related to a medical problem.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Difficulty in walking
Possible Causes
Generally, Difficulty walking can be related to:
- Metachromatic Leukodystrophy
Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) or sulfatide lipidosis is a rare genetic disease that leads to the progressive destruction of the nervous system and causes lipids to accumulate in cells, especially in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. This buildup is due to a deficiency of an enzyme called sulfatides, which helps break down lipids.
- Cerebellar Tumor
These tumors are tumor found in the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain. They can cause increased intracranial pressure and headache, and difficulties with balance or coordination. They can arise from brain cells or they may have spread from a tumor found in another part of the body.
- Pubic Symphysis Separation
This condition causes pain in the pubic area and difficulty walking due to the natural softening of ligaments in the pelvic region during pregnancy.
- Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy
- Telangiectasia Ataxia
- Striatal Substantia Nigra Degeneration
- Subacute Cerebellar Degeneration
- Sydenham Chorea
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Difficulty walking may be related to these serious diseases:
- Femoral Neck Fracture
A break in the proximal femur at the level of the hip. This fracture is associated with a high risk of complications
- Cerebellar Hemorrhage / Infarction
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Is walking difficult for you?
- How long have you had difficulty walking normally this time?
- How has your difficulty walking evolved since it started?
- Do you drag your feet when you walk?
- Is it difficult for you to walk in a straight line heel-to-toe?
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizFind Similar Symptoms
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
Thompson PD, Nutt JG. Gait disorders. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 25.
Magee DJ, Manske RC. Assessment of gait. In: Magee DJ, Manske RC, eds. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 7th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021:chap 14.
Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
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I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1