10 Reasons Why Seniors Walk with a Shuffling Gait

As some people age, they may begin shuffling or dragging their feet when they walk. They may not even notice they’re doing this. Your constant reminders to pick up their feet when they walk may not be enough for them to remember to walk correctly. That’s because they’re not doing it on purpose. Something is causing it to happen – and whatever it is shouldn’t be ignored since shuffling significantly increases the risk of falls.

The first step in helping your senior walk more safely is determining the root cause. The shuffling could be caused by weak hips and/or leg muscles, arthritis pain in joints, or loss of flexibility in the feet, making it hard to flex them usually. It might also be related to a decreased ability to maintain balance, decreased vision that makes it hard to see, fear because of a recent fall or stumble, or even slow reaction time when unbalanced. In addition, the root problem could stem from medication side effects, poorly-fitting shoes or slippers, or slippery floors.

While it may not seem important to fail to pick up your feet when walking, it can be a very dangerous practice among the elderly since it puts the individual at a much greater risk of falling. When feet slide instead of being lifted, they can easily trip on rugs, door thresholds, or uneven surfaces. Shoes can catch on the ground, and the narrow stance of shuffling feet makes a person more unbalanced than if s/he had an average walking stance.

If your older adult has begun walking with a shuffle, scheduling an appointment with his or her doctor to investigate the cause is essential. The cause could be something as simple as slippery floors or as serious as dementia or Parkinson’s disease.

In summary, the following 10 issues could lead to a shuffling gait:

1. Weak hips and leg muscles
2. Arthritis pain in joints
3. Loss of flexibility in feet, making it hard to flex them normally
4. Lower ability to maintain balance
5. Decreased vision, making it hard to see
6. Fear because of a recent stumble or fall
7. Slow reaction time when unbalanced, which increases fear of falling
8. Medication side effects
9. Worn or poorly-fitting shoes or slippers
10. Slippery floors

If you’ve noticed that your senior has begun dragging his or her feet when walking, look into the 10 reasons mentioned above to see if the cause might be obvious and easily correctable. For example, you might only need to replace an old pair of shoes that are now too loose. If none of these issues cause the problem, ask the doctor for a thorough check-up to identify the reason behind this new shuffling behavior. After determining the cause, the doctor will be better able to make an appropriate recommendation for improving the situation going forward.

Also, if you suspect any of these issues are problematic, we recommend that you look into the Gardeen monitoring system. Gardeen is a practical, noninvasive tool that provides the data you need to better understand your senior’s current condition. It’s designed to track and record an individual’s movement patterns and activity levels in an unobtrusive and easy-to-use way, allowing the person to wear it throughout the day without causing discomfort or disrupting their daily activities. The device uses gateways to detect and record movements such as walking, sitting, standing, and lying down, as well as other activities. For more information, call (617) 237-0042.