Suggest Treatment For Walking Difficulty In An Elderly Person

Posted on Sat, 12 Mar 2016

Question: HI there, I am 64 and noticed that I can no longer walk properly. I have no pan but seem to "scoot" dragging my legs.

I have type 2 diebetis.

Answered by Dr. Aashish Raghu (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Could be a slip disc in your spine. Need an MRI

Detailed Answer:
Hi there.

Thanks for the query.

Do you have back pain that radiates to the lower limbs?

Do got have tingling or numbness of the legs and feet?

Are you on any medication for your Diabetes?

It is possible you have a slip disc in your spine that is compressing a nerve to your legs making it weak and giving a feeling of dragging your legs around.

Avoid bending forwards or lifting weights. You may need to get an MRI of your spine to look for nerve compression.

You can take Tablet Pregabalin 75mg at night for a month for tingling or numbness in the legs.

Kindly respond to my queries to offer a better understanding of your problem so that the right diagnosis can be reached and the treatment commenced.

Thanks and regards.

Dr. Aashish Raghu

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D