Are you a clutz? Are you constantly getting hurt in stupid ways, while doing mundane things?
That's the story of my life. I've had chronic back pain since I was 10 because of a piggy back ride - and I was the one riding. I've had a bad ankle since I was 13 because of a "tragic" walking incident. A couple of years ago, I got a concussion while taking a bath (yes, I was sitting down.) Early on in our relationship, my husband coined the term "random danger component" to describe the way I'm accident prone only while doing things that aren't typically considered dangerous.
The reason I bring this up is because I recently broke my toe while walking around my house (my 6-year-old had been playing with some 3-pound dumbells.) When I mentioned it in my forum, a disproportionate number of people brought up their own accidents and injuries and talked about how they were always getting hurt. I know that these conditions can cause problems with some motor skills (possibly because of dopamine imbalances), so I wondered - do fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome make you clumsy?
Take the poll, and make me feel better by sharing your own tales of random danger!
Suggested Reading:
- Thrown Off Course: Fibromyalgia Enters My Life
- Neurotransmitters in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Serotonin, Norepinephrine & Dopamine
- Tai Chi for Improved Balance & Coordination
Yes I am constantly falling over nothing, slipping, walking and just ending up flat on my face for no apparent reason. I have FM and lower back disc problems plus weakness in one leg. It is especially bad when I am tired or rushing (or both at the same time) I regulary present to the local hospital or my physical therapist and his comment is what have you fallen over now. I feel so silly at the time as they are such big falls over no apparent object. The worst would have to be when I fell off the back verandah because I was unable to walk from the laundry to the back door and ended up with a very bad concussion as I knocked myself out on the concrete. I still have no idea what I fell over. It seems when I think I have gone around an object or lifted my feet the correct height it just doesn’t happen.
Regards from Australia
I’ve always been a serious clutz, since long before I became symptomatic with the Fibromyalgia. It took me two years to learn to ride a bike as a kid because my balance was so bad (still is). Of course, I started showing sypmptons when I was 10, so it is possible the clumsiness is caused by the FMS. Or that whatever causes the FMS also caused the clumsiness.
I generally take a good fall about once a year. That is, where I actually fall all the way to the ground. That’s less than in the pass just because I’ve learned to keep myself out of situations where I can’t catch myself. I tend to walk close to walls and other support objects, because I trip at least once a day. I hate being out in the open with nothing to catch onto when I trip.
My Sis and I both have FM. She carries a cane because of the many falls she has had over the years. My trigger points in shoulders and arms cause me to have hand clumsiness instead of leg and foot clumsiness. I will “throw” a coffee cup or glass of milk if I try to pick it up and carry it with one hand. It’s like the sudden weight of picking something up triggers a spasm and I “toss” whatever I’m lifting. Makes cooking interesting…
I am dreading winter because I hate ice, and for two very good reasons. Falls on ice lead to a broken right shoulder and several years later a shattered right hip.
I also have fallen walking upstairs, yes that’s right upstairs, on several occasions.
I have FM and had problems with falling down steps since I was a teen. In 2006 I had two serious falls, both ending in an ER visit…the last one resulted in 3 surgeries, two knee manipulations and took away most of the use of my right leg. I round corners to tightly, bumping into the walls also. I use a quad cane for support, but more for balance because I fear falling again.
Adrienne, don’t feel like the lone ranger… I stumbled getting up from my desk chair & in the attempt to catch myself, I bruised my knee on our big tv, landed on my right hip & the next say I realized I had broken my baby toe on my left foot. Before that healed I hit it again. Then a few weeks ago I stumped my right baby toe on the ottoman leg & broke it… now both are very sore & touchy. I think I need steel toed shoes for walking in my house.
Soft hugs & God Bless you all!
I was never clumsy and also not specially so during the first few years of having Fibro……but after more than a decade I have noticed the level of clumsiness go up higly during the last couple of years.Now I am officially clumsy;luckily haven’t injured myself seriouslybut I bump into things,drop things etc……not funny at all.