Lameness in adults

Lameness refers to any difficulty in walking. It most often occurs due to disease or damage to the legs and feet, including the muscles, bones, joints, blood vessels, and nerves.

Depending on the cause, lameness can sometimes be cured or reduced in severity with medication or surgery.

What is lameness

Lameness is a change in gait, in which a person falls mainly on one leg, the gait becomes unstable, with a curvature of the body to the side.

Causes of lameness in adults

The most common cause of lameness in a healthy person is injury or pain in the foot, leg, or hip. There are many acute and chronic causes of hip and leg pain. Lameness allows a person to avoid stress on a diseased limb.

Lameness can also be a sign of trauma to the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves. As people age, they are more likely to limp due to a neurological disorder. In addition, some medical problems, such as heart and lung disease, can change the way a person walks, resulting in lameness.

orthopedic conditions. Lameness can be the result of orthopedic conditions:

• injuries – they are common causes of pain in the leg, which leads to lameness;
• hip problems – damage to the hip joint or the bones and muscles surrounding it can also lead to lameness in patients, as the upper body usually shifts unconsciously towards the affected side to reduce the forces acting on the hip;
• deformity – Sometimes people are born with muscular or skeletal deformities that result in lameness, such as when one leg is shorter than the other.

Neuromuscular disorders. Lameness can be the result of neuromuscular disorders:

• genetic problems – muscular dystrophies and other hereditary diseases can cause weakness in the muscles of the hips and legs, leading to lameness;
• compression of the spinal cord from injury or age-related degenerative disease can lead to muscle weakness in the legs and feet;
• Inflammation – Infectious and inflammatory conditions can affect the leg muscles, leading to weakness and possible lameness.

Other reasons. Lameness can also be caused by:

• psychological disorders;
• disorders of the heart and lungs;
• medicines.

Symptoms of lameness in adults

Walking is a very complex process and affects all levels of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, and the nerves that supply the muscles in the body, as well as the musculoskeletal system. Although lameness may be a simple attempt to avoid weight bearing on an injured leg or foot, it can also be a sign of many complex neurological conditions.

Harbingers of lameness can be:

• foot or leg pain;
• hip pain;
• weakness or numbness in the legs or feet;
• difficulty getting up from a sitting position;
• frequent falls;
• feeling of imbalance;
• inability to bend the toes.

Treatment of lameness in adults

Lameness can be a sign of serious health problems. You should seek emergency care if:

• you suddenly experience difficulty walking, loss of balance, numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body – this may be a sign of a stroke;
• you feel numbness or tingling in your legs or feet.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis is based on the patient’s history, physical examination, and tests such as X-ray, CT, or MRI.

A doctor may do a complete neurological examination to determine the cause of the lameness, especially if they suspect it is in the brain, spinal cord, or nerves. A neurological evaluation usually includes strength, sensation, cognitive ability, and walking ability.

If a doctor suspects that an inherited condition may be the cause of lameness, they may order genetic testing.

Modern treatments

Lameness caused by orthopedic pain or injury can be treated at home. This will require:

• Rest – If an acute injury or overuse is causing lameness, resting the injured foot or leg for a few days may help.
• ice – a cold compress in the area of ​​injury can reduce swelling;
• pain relievers such as ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

If lameness gets worse or doesn’t go away, see a doctor. Depending on the diagnosis, he may recommend:

• crutches – in case of injury, they will reduce the load on the leg;
• physiotherapy.

Some patients may need joint replacement surgery or treatment for the underlying disease that caused the disease.

Prevention of lameness in adults at home

The basis of prevention is a healthy lifestyle, protection from injuries, as well as the fight against those diseases that can cause lameness.

Popular questions and answers

Answered our questions about lameness traumatologist-orthopedist Oleg Sazhnikov.