good morning , anyone know why ?? my stroke was in my left side , but now 5 months later i have gait problems with both feet - why both feet and not just my left foot ? anyone know why please
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@andrew90 Have you spoken to your GP? or your stroke team? I am stroke survivor but have not suffered your issues. Best of luck 
Maybe if one foot was weak you unknowingly over compensated on the other foot causing you issues ?
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Mirror neurons for one. Then the feet have to co-exist, and learn to live and work together. When you cross your legs trying to get to sleep in the dark and scratch one foot with the other, I sure for a moment you may even get confused on which is right and which is the left. Try it, and verify.
Why? To walk in a straight line, both sides of the body must coordinate. Therefore, the left hemisphere (where your stroke was) contains the wiring for the right leg , but it also contains the central pattern generators and pathways for the left leg’s rhythm and timing. Pelvic tilt & control ; If your pelvis is unstable, both feet will struggle to clear the ground properly because the foundation (your hips/core) is tilted or weak. To lift that left foot higher to avoid tripping, you have to use your hip to swing the leg outwards (circumduction). This unnatural movement throws off your center of gravity. To catch yourself from falling to the left, your right leg stiffens up or takes shorter, quicker steps.
walking is a bilateral activity. I recently was told by a Russian friend that there they focus rehab on the non-affected side !
Result: The right leg now looks spastic or hesitant, even though the stroke didn’t “hit” it directly. It is reacting to the left leg’s instability.
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Hello Andrew - Nice to meet you.
I am pretty sure what I am about to say was something a physiotherapist once or maybe more than once mentioned to us when we had then trying to help my Mum.
They (the PT) said the body/brain tries to compensate (sorry, I may not have the exact terminology) to help the weak side get stronger. So in your case, your right side is trying to help the left side.
This compensation may be subconscious or may be triggered by your attempts to rehab the left side. A PT or GP might be able to explain better than me, but I believe this is what is happening here. It could be the right side mirroring the left to try and normalise etc.
Below extracts from the internut…
Post-stroke limb compensation involves using alternative muscles, body segments, or the unaffected side to overcome motor deficits, such as using excessive trunk movement to reach with a weak arm. While aiding immediate function, excessive compensation can hinder recovery and cause orthopaedic issues. Rehabilitation focuses on reducing these, utilizing targeted therapies, and enhancing the use of the affected limb.
You can get more by doing a Google search using “compensation of limbs post stroke”.
I hopes this helps.
Namaste|
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hello thanks to you - the night before i had my stroke both my feet felt like lead ie very heavy my theory is that the part of my brain that works my feet was affected and so post stroke some kind of brain damage is causing my gait and so both feet are not what they used to be it seems to stack up in my mind somehow dont know if the brain can ever fully repair or not - what helps is to put up with it and just carry on walking and maybe one day it will get better - thankyou so much for your help
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Andrew - if you carry on walking and doing exercises your brain will re-wire. This is what happens during the recovery period. You can start rebuilding the connections and the more time and effort you are able to put in the greater the return. Don’t doubt what you can achieve - nothing is impossible and you will never know until you try.
You do not have to accept anything less than the best.
Take care.
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Interesting. Something for me to look at. It’ll help me understand my mum’s stroke better.
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hi yes both feet , they dont work like before stroke - if you find any usefull info please let me know - thanks
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Likewise. The more we understand, the better.
thanks take care hey
happens to everyone if the stroke is severe enough
- Mitochondria become dysfunctional
- Water in our body loses its structure (because mitochondria are kaput) [Gerald Pollack]
- Loss of proprioception ; why? one of the 4 feelings of proprioception is precisely weight
Yes - brain CAN and WILL find new pathways to take control. Good luck
Mitochondria (singular: mitochondrion ) are membrane-bound cell organelles that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power a cell’s biochemical reactions. They are often referred to as the “powerhouses” of the cell.
Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense its own position, movement, and action in space. It is often referred to as the “sixth sense” that allows you to touch your finger to your nose with your eyes closed.
Structured Water (also known as hexagonal water or EZ water ) is water with a stabilized, ordered crystalline structure (often hexagonal) that is said to be more natural and offer numerous health benefits, such as increased hydration and energy
hello iam speaking to my gp tomorrow about a letter received today from the stroke team - problem is what this letter says means ground zero to me all i know is iam a stroke survivor and still alive and kicking , i can and do walk for england , whats going on ?? i have no idear and whats more i dont think my doctors do …….. bottom line is iam still here and alive - its so mind blowing to think people are out there that can relate to these things and take the time to try and help with my journey , bless you all and thanks so much
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@ManjiB This is so true as I am living proof this can happen. Its amazing. I still have a way to go, but the rewiring is amazing. 
hello , please can you tell me what is re-wire as i dont know
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@andrew90 Where the brain is damage it friends a way to re route itself to repair. You learn to do everything again if you are fortunate and work hard at it. One task at a time and practise, its like being a toddler all over again. The wires have been broken in the brain, so it mends itself to repair them.