Complaining Of Tripping Every Now And Again And Harder To Climb Stairs. What Can This Be?

Posted on Sat, 29 Jun 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 29 Jun 2013 Answered on

Mon, 22 Jul 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My husband who is 75 yrs old and a avid walker has been complaining of tripping every now and again and harder to climb stairs then it used to be. He feels like he sways when he walks. There is no family history of ALS but that is in the back of his mind. Thank You

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (3 hours later)

Dear XXXXXXX

Thanks for your concerns. Common things being common, ALS is a rare disease and there are probably other more frequent causes of tripping, such as peripheral neuropathy from a number of causes, sarcopenia (loss of muscle tone), deconditioning, middle-ear issues and inadequate shoe wear. Nevertheless, I am glad you are looking into the problem since falls are a major cause of disability in the elderly. My best advise: see a geriatric medicine specialist who would conduct a detailed physical exam including gait assessment, determine if additional ambulation or safety equipment is needed, and probably order some initial preliminary tests such as hemoglobin A1c and B12 levels.

Truly yours,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar