I am the spouse of person with Parkinson's. She s in her seventh year since PD diagnosis. A year ago she fell and broke her hip. In the aftermath of the replacement surgery she developed a multi-focal lower limb dystonia. One foot turns inward. Another is such that the heel does not come down. This has left her unable to walk without a walker, and someone walking with her. Most of her time is in the wheelchair. We are looking to hear of others' experiences with this debilitating symptom. Thanks… read more
I am sorry that all this has happened fast like dominos .... it must be hard to get a handle on it all -- I am caregiver for spouse also. I don't have any specific advice about your wife's issues, but in my husband's case, he now has a chronic case of achilles tendon which physical therapy is REALLY helping. Your wife's leg where the heal won't come all the way down may be helped by this special massage that they do. My husband may never get better from this achilles thing, just need to keep maintaining through a LOT of exercise. One thing is I have noticed is that the achilles leg, which is his GOOD leg, the right foot at random times turns OUT -- he seems unaware of it. This has happened off and on for years. We work on balancing and straightening the foot during those exercises and the awareness seems to carry over throughout day many times. Also, I have seen some folks around town using a STANDING walker and one guy said he LOVES it -- he didn't have Parkinson's, but he told me he had just turned 100 ! He was walking with this walker on a flat but curvy path with his aide just walking beside him. Have you seen these walkers? They are like a sturdy rollator, but you are standing! Your arms are both fully supported beginning at the ELBOW -- It seems like a super helpful device to me. However, the foot turning inward complicates everything for your wife, so I wonder if you have had a doctor or physical therapist lay out what NOT to try as well as to try in terms of exercises or walkers....sending good thoughts your way and hope others have suggestions for you about the inward turning foot especially.