PMR and balance

It was a problem I had with untreated PMR - couldn't walk easily on anything the slightest bit uneven. It did improve a bit but I still dislike walking on anything rough, even grass or a path that isn't tarmac but is more gravel is uncomfortable. It would seem I'm not alone - when we walk along the river here where the cycle path is tarmac and the footpath is gravelled, a lot of people are found walking on the cycle path!!!

You are not alone. I experienced poor balance during a flare that occurred when I reduced my dose of prednisone. Had no problem with balance just before the taper and flare, so for me it was not due to atrophy of the muscles. However, when not in check, PMR caused muscle weakness for sure! I always felt like my muscles were not doing what my brain was telling them to do!

We were on vacation during this flare and I was trying to muster the strength to bicycle, albeit very slowly. My sense of balance was so thrown off, I actually fell off the bike! Never fell off a bike in my life before that! I had been reluctant to go back up on my dose, but that was the last straw. Once I increased my dose my balance was back to normal within a few days. If you feel you are at risk of falling, maybe you should consider a slight increase in your dose. Eventually, I was able to reduce my dose substantially, but that fall told me my body just was not ready for a taper then.

Fatigue is a major factor for me with any reduction and along with that comes foggy head and very poor balance. I often feel like I've had one cocktail too many without enjoying so much as sip of one.

PMR impacts your balance in 2 ways - it does interfere with balance sensor, which is located in inner ear. In addition or sense of balance get worse as we age, so not all of it is PMR. Second way that PMR (and steroids) impact balance is that our muscles are weaker, especially our core muscles, which are essential for balance. In addition our flexibility of lower leg area ( ankle and associated muscles and tendons) are impacted too.

So how do we fix all this? There is not much one can do about ageing ( can help on that). However, one can work to make core muscles stronger. THere are many exercises on youtube, so I wont dwell on that. One of the most important group of core muscles for balance is the most inner stomach cavity muscles. You activate those muscles when you try to squeeze the last bit of breath while blowing into a balloon. At that point try to hold (blow) for at least 10 sec more... Practice in sets of 5-10 several times a day.

For leg/ankle area do strethces and strength exercises as well. One of the simple exercise is to try to stand on one leg, at first holding on to something and then gradually trying to let go of support. You will notice improvement relatively quickly.

I am also on 2mg after 2years, I have recently reduced from 3mg I suffered a return of pain in the waist area and shoulders but not enough to return to 3mg after a further two weeks the pain reduced but I do suffer fatigue mostly in the morning, in the afternoons I am less tired which does seem the wrong way round. Balance is sometimes a problem, again mostly in the mornings. The problem I have is trying to differentiate between age related issues and PMR issues, I am 82 in a couple of months and at this age there is an annual reduction in my physical capability. I do find its a great help to hear other sufferers problems, it's easy sometimes to think a symptom is due to other causes.