I noticed that my 70-year-old father has recently been walking usually with a shuffling gait. Kindly let me know what could be the matter with him.
Julius (by SMS)
Aging naturally leads to muscle loss, especially in the thighs and calves. This condition, known as sarcopenia, makes it harder for seniors to lift their feet properly, resulting in a shuffling gait.
The solution is to engage in strength-training exercises tailored to seniors, such as chair squats or resistance band workouts.
However, some people shuffle due to Parkinson’s or some other disease, but they are the exception, of course. Shuffling gait can improve with treatment of the underlying cause—such as taking medications to treat Parkinson’s disease or getting blood sugar levels under control if the person has diabetes.
Treatment for shuffling gait often includes physical therapy, regardless of the underlying cause.
READ ALSO:
and then