Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group How do you walk?

How do I walk? Sometimes with great difficulty. Lately my knees have been troubling me so I generally have a pretty strange looking gait. If I concentrate really hard on ignoring the pain I can fake a reasonably normal walk. The knees are a new thing for me this year. I agree with the assessment that it looks like I have something stuffed you-know where.

After years of field trials, I have determined that there are at least 6 kinds of walk for AS sufferers:

Spaghetti leg walk - you use your body weight and momentum to throw each leg ahead in turn and hope they land where you want them. Usually when my SI was bad.

Robot walk - when you can't turn your head or twist your back. When you want to look at something or someone, the entire body must turn.

Bed of coals walk - your achilles and arches hurt so much that each footstep is painful. You are walking short, quick steps very gingerly.

The gopher hole - when your knee/ankle/hip can buckle without notice and cause one side to collapse suddenly. Usually results in a fall.

The loose change tease - all you can do is look down at the sidewalk as you move along. You find a lot of change. Too bad you can't pick it up.

The freestyle shuffle - one foot in front of the other very slowly, any way you can with one hand on the wall. Usually when nobody is looking - generally reserved for late night trips to the bathroom.

There I go again - making a list.

Later

Rick

OKAY RICK!!

Now your making me laugh.............That's the best pain pill of all

Phil

Yes, we do, because they depend on us - - and we depend so much on them. Just talked to the vet and Sugar gets to come home at noon!!! She was supposed to be kept until 5:00 but she's doing so well she's being released early. During her dental they scaled her teeth and gave her a flouride treatment - - just like human children, flouride for animals

Cheryl

Dogs hate rainy days too

I believe you have described all of the ASwalks. Thanks for the laugh.
Gotta go do my potpourri. A walk that is a ghastly combination of all the forms you've mentioned.

I am forced to do it station to station. THat is eyeball the next thing tolean on usually about 10-20 paces away. Its see parked car shffle, hobble , robot stop and lean. Perfectly positioned bench. Twist, gopherhole,limpand lurch to bench. Etc.

They beauty of my recent days is my SI pain is seemingly shifting side to side.
Monday limp left ,Tuesday limp right, Wednesday alternate. Kinda like Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein.


stevec-they also serve who stand and wait

After having both hips replaced I still walk like a pingune because my spine is totally fused and curved forward.
I remember being in line at the winn-dixie and this women comes over from three lines away and says to me" What happen to you ? were you in a car wreck?" just like that ,my heart dropped to my feet my eyes watered up and I could not speak. Here I thought I was hidding my hunch from the world. It really hurt me so much. I also hate seeing my self on video. My heart falls to pieces.I do not know who that is in the video, thats not me, it is some alien who has taken over my body.
Yoly

Sorry to hear how hard it hits you hwen you see yourself in video or such.
I got the two manmade factory installed hip thing too and after being straight for about 5 years my spine started to bend and just does seem too understand that it just ain't funny anymore.

I used to tell people I was a vampire cause I hadn't seen my reflection for years. Avoided mirrors and never went near a video unless I could jump into a chair and prop myself up.

I never get comfortable with it and I'd be the biggest liar goin if I told you I didn't cringe and wallow a wee bit when I see that image of my body in a mirror but it does get better as far as growing comfortable with it in some fashion and growing self confident with your physcial image.

Its a part of the AS that is a whole different type of pain and sometimes it can hurt a heck of a lot more than the physical garbage.

Hang tough. PM me anytime.




stevec-they also serve who stand and wait

I walked hunched and stiff also. Look like a big bear.

David

Thanfully I can still see the stars. My AS isn't that far advanced but I do walk stiff a lot. I walk more on my toes and not very fast, I was always the last one in line. Some days are better than others lets just hope today is a good day for you too.

Frankie

Perfect description, I don't think you left out anybody. Even though the thought of walking makes me hurt, you made me laugh.

Hugs,

Cindy

Phil:

Like the proverbial Stripéd-AS'd Ape.

I don't even care when they call me Igor and Quasimoto...I walk totally pain-free now and that's what counts (just don't ring my bell late for a starchless meal).

Best to You,
John