If you sprain your ankle or slip going down the stairs at your home, it’s pretty easy to figure our why you’re limping a bit. But what if you seemingly develop a limp without a clear and obvious injury? Why are you limping for no apparent reason? In today’s blog, we explain some of the common underlying issues that may be causing you to limp without an obvious cause of injury.
Why Am I Limping?
We’re going to touch on some of the common issues that doctors will screen for if you present to their office with a limp, but know that the following is pretty basic information. The development of a limp without an obvious cause of injury is something that should be assessed by a provider in person, so although this blog may provide you with some more information, we recommend heading to a doctor who can view you in person and make a sound diagnosis.
Here are some possible reasons why you may have developed a limp for no obvious reason:
Osteoarthritis – One of the most common reasons for the development of a limp without an obvious injury is due to the result of slow-developing osteoarthritic degeneration. Cartilage in your knees, ankles and feet can wear out over time, and eventually this can lead to uncomfortable bone on bone contact. Your body may be inherently attempting to compensate for this arthritic degeneration by altering your gait and changing how pressure is dispersed through your lower body, and this could cause you to develop a hitch in your step.
Nerve Impingement – It’s also possible that your gait problem isn’t housed in your foot or ankle and is instead being caused by an issue in your lower back or buttocks. A number of key spinal nerves pass through your lower spine, including the longest nerve in your body – the sciatic nerve. If one of these key nerves becomes irritated, damaged or compressed, it can send discomfort shooting down your extremities. Changing your gait may help to take pressure off this nerve, but doing so can cause you to walk with a limp.
Soft Tissue Injuries – Another possible reason why you’ve adopted a gait is because of a soft tissue injury to an area like a muscle., ligament or tendon. You may not have realized you suffered a soft tissue injury, but if you recently put your body through some intense exercise or manual labor, it’s possible that you suffered a sprain or a strain but didn’t notice it until the next day when you hopped out of bed and started limping. If you have recently pushed your body with activity, you may be dealing with a soft tissue injury even if you didn’t suffer an obvious injury at the time.
This is not a comprehensive list, but these issues are much more common than your limp being caused by something like a cancerous tumor. Know that there’s a very good chance that you’ll be able to restore or improve your gait by connecting with a physician, getting to the bottom of your issue and following an individualized treatment plan. For more information about limping problems, or to talk to a foot and ankle specialist about a different issue, reach out to Dr. Silverman and the team at Silverman Ankle & Foot today at (952) 224-8500.
