Lately I have been tripping over what seems to be nothing often it's when I am in trainers or very flat shoes. Not actully falling it's like I am not lifting my feet up high enough or something and it can be about four times in an hour if I am walking around and then it stops happening. Just wondering if this happens to anybody else .
Michele

Foot drop. It happens to me daily. It does not matter whether you wear shoes or go bare foot.

although foot drop is probable, it can be just a balance issue as well. I find that when Im tired, or when Ive exercised, or even driven alot- I also trip over nothing....in fact, looking back to before I was dx, I can remember people in my office saying things like "first day with the new feet?" joking around of course, but I swore that either my shoes or the rug was tripping me up (quite often). It was getting embarrassing.....when I went for my initial Neuro exam and they did the history, I admitted that tripping was something that I had been experiencing...however, I wasnt having any foot drop according to my doctor.
To this day, i still dont think foot drop is actually my issue- my shoes arent wearing in any particular place, and i have only actually fallen twice in three years- but on occasion, my balance is so bad that tripping has become something Ive gotten accostomed to dealing with...its more embarrassing than anything else!
To try to compensate for it, I always take my husbands arm when we are together- I try to lean on anything around me when I can, and sit when I can..standing in one place can set off balance problems...

This seems to come and go randomly- I hope it does for you, too.
N

I dont seem to have foot drop as such and it was embrassing the other day I was out shopping with some girlfriends and I did it about 4 times .

Zadie,

I have been tripping since I was a kid. I got in soooo much trouble for scuffing up the toes of my shoes. I would also "shuffle" or slide my feet instead of picking them up - got in trouble for that too.

None of this was done on purpose - I just couldn't always pick my feet up all the way as most do when they walk. So, I tripped. I could trip over anything or nothing.

This has not changed but I am more aware and Sometimes I have to make a real effort to lift my feet to clear objects.

Zadie-

I also do this almost daily. It is one of my biggest challenges. It gets worse after exercise or if I have had to be on my feet a great deal.

Let me ask a question to clear up MY confusion. Are you meaning when we are walking along, it's like stubbing your toe and stumbling? I do this alot but I didn't think it was foot drop, I just thought I was a clutz. My gait is fine but I do alot of stubbing and stumbling. I stubbed my toe alot as a kid.

Hi Kim. Just to clarify, foot drop is a REAL problem for some...but when foot drop occurs, usually its just like it sounds..the foot actually drags...if you were experiencing this, youd know it..
what you call clumbsiness, is actually an MS thing, where tripping is involved. ITs not even stubbing your toe- its actually just walking along, on either hardwood or carpet, and all the sudden you trip over "something' but nothing is there...its a balance issue which involves walking...your gait CAN be FINE 99% of the time, but if this starts happening more and more, it can get bothersome...it doesnt necessarily mean foot drop...
Another sign of foot drop is the way your shoes wear...generally, with foot drop, youll see more wearing on the inside of one shoe, towards the big toe...thats a sign that you are dragging when you walk...
Im sure for you, its nothing more than being off balance at times...and like Lisa said, it can happen to all of us when we are tired or having just exercised..thats when I notice it the most.
Hugs
N

Hey Nik, thanks for clearing that up so well! Yeah, balance issues sound more like it for me. I saw someone recently with very noticeable foot drop and I thought, "I don't do that" but I do stumble alot after encountering nothing as you said.

This happens to me all the time!! Its so aggravating... I noticed it and could have sworn the carpets were causing my problems at work... but then I started noticing it more and more often and in different settings and my doc said I have mild foot slapping, which I'm assuming must be some form of "foot drop." I can't wear sandles to save my life.....

This happens to me all the time!! Its so aggravating... I noticed it and could have sworn the carpets were causing my problems at work... but then I started noticing it more and more often and in different settings and my doc said I have mild foot slapping, which I'm assuming must be some form of "foot drop." I can't wear sandles to save my life.....

I haven't had an issue with my sandals, mind you I only wear Birkenstocks with the 2 straps over the top of my foot, and the back strap. I can't wear sandals without the back strap, and Birks are so comfortable.