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Movement - uncoordinated

Show Alternative Names
Lack of coordination
Loss of coordination
Coordination impairment
Ataxia
Clumsiness
Uncoordinated movement

Uncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fro motion of the middle of the body (trunk) and an unsteady gait (walking style). It can also affect the limbs.

The medical name of this condition is ataxia.

Considerations

Smooth graceful movement requires a balance between different muscle groups. A part of the brain called the cerebellum manages this balance. If this does not happen properly, ataxia often results.

Ataxia can severely affect daily living activities.

Causes

Diseases that damage the cerebellum, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves can interfere with normal muscle movement. The result is large, jerky, uncoordinated movements.

Brain injuries or diseases that can cause uncoordinated movements include:

Poisoning or toxic effects caused by:

  • Alcohol
  • Certain medicines
  • Heavy metals such as mercury, thallium, and lead
  • Solvents such as toluene or carbon tetrachloride
  • Illicit drugs

Other causes include:

  • Certain cancers, in which uncoordinated movement symptoms may appear months or years before the cancer is diagnosed (called paraneoplastic syndrome)
  • Problems with the nerves in the legs (neuropathy)
  • Spine injury or disease causing damage to the spinal cord (such as compression fractures of the spine)

Home Care

Physical therapy that includes swimming, stretching, walking, and balancing exercises can help with coordination and slow the damage. A home safety evaluation by a physical therapist may be helpful.

Take measures to make it easier and safer to move around at home. For example, get rid of clutter, leave wide walkways, and remove throw rugs or other objects that might cause slipping or falling. Make sure there is adequate lighting at night.

People with this condition should be encouraged to take part in normal activities. Family members need to be patient with a person who has poor coordination. Take time to show the person ways to do tasks more easily. Take advantage of the person's strengths while avoiding their weaknesses.

Ask the health care provider whether walking aids, such as a cane or walker, would be helpful.

People with ataxia are prone to falls. Talk with the provider about measures to prevent falls.

Family support is important. It helps to openly discuss your feelings. Self-help groups are available in many communities. 

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your provider if:

  • A person has unexplained problems with coordination
  • Lack of coordination lasts longer than a few minutes

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

In an emergency, you will first be stabilized so that symptoms do not get worse.

The provider will perform a physical exam, which may include:

  • A detailed examination of the nervous system and muscles, paying careful attention to walking, balance, and coordination of pointing with fingers and toes.
  • Asking you to stand up with your feet together and the eyes closed. This is called the Romberg test. If you lose your balance, this is a sign that your sense of position is reduced. In this case, the test is considered positive.

Medical history questions may include:

  • When did the symptoms begin?
  • Does the uncoordinated movement happen all the time or does it come and go?
  • Is it getting worse?
  • What medicines do you take?
  • Do you drink alcohol?
  • Do you use recreational drugs?
  • Have you been exposed to something that may have caused poisoning?
  • What other symptoms do you have? For example: weakness or paralysis, numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation, confusion or disorientation, seizures.

Tests that may be ordered include:

You may need to be referred to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment. If a specific problem is causing the ataxia, the problem will be treated. For example, if a medicine is causing coordination problems, the medicine may be changed or stopped. Other causes may not be treatable. The provider can tell you more.

Review Date: 1/23/2023

Reviewed By

Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

References

Jankovic J, Lang AE. Diagnosis and assessment of Parkinson disease and other movement disorders. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 24.

Okun MS, Lang AE. Other movement disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 382.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Multiple sclerosis can be a particularly debilitating disorder because your body essentially attacks itself. But you can learn to cope during attacks.

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Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease in which your body's immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. The disorder disrupts communication between your brain and the rest of your body, meaning your nerve signals slow down or stop.

We don't know exactly why this happens. The most common thought is that a virus or gene defect, or both, are to blame. Environmental factors may even play a role. We do know that the disorder affects more women than men, that you may get the disorder if you have a family history of MS, and that you are at higher risk if you live in a part of the world where MS is more common. It's typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, but we see the disorder at any age.

Now you may ask, how do you know you have multiple sclerosis?

Symptoms of MS can vary widely from person to person because the location and severity of each attack can be different. Episodes may last for days, weeks, or months. You may even have long periods where you have no symptoms. We call this remission.

Because MS may damage nerves in any part of the brain or spinal cord, you may have symptoms in many parts of the body. You may have muscle problems, including loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness, trouble moving your arms or legs, even trouble walking. You may have bowel and bladder problems, such as constipation, trouble urinating, or a frequent urge to urinate. You may have double vision, eye pain, or uncontrolled eye movements. You will probably be tired a lot, and it's often worse in the late afternoon. And those are just a few of the many possible symptoms of MS.

Since symptoms of MS may mimic those of other nervous system disorders, your doctor will want to rule those out. Your doctor may suspect MS if you have trouble with two different parts of your central nervous system (such as abnormal reflexes) at two different times.

A neurological exam may show you have reduced function in one area of your body, or it may be spread over many parts of your body. You may have abnormal reflexes, decreased ability to move a part of your body, a loss of sensation. An eye exam might show abnormal pupil responses, changes in your visual field, or trouble seeing.

There is no known cure for MS, so your doctor will focus on therapies to slow down the disorder, to control your symptoms and help you maintain a normal quality of life. Your doctor can prescribe different medicines to help with this. You may have to take several medications.

Life expectancy with MS can be normal, or almost normal. Most people with MS continue to walk and function at work with minimal disability for 20 or more years. The amount of disability and discomfort can depend on how often you have attacks, on how bad they are, and what part of the central nervous system is affected by each attack. Most people return to normal or near-normal function between attacks. But, over time, many people with MS will need a wheelchair.

To help you maintain a normal quality of life, your doctor may suggest physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and support groups, depending on your needs. Starting an exercising program early in the course of your disorder, eating right, and getting enough rest can also help.

 

Multiple sclerosis - Animation

Multiple sclerosis can be a particularly debilitating disorder because your body essentially attacks itself. But you can learn to cope during attacks.

So, what causes multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease in which your body's immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. The disorder disrupts communication between your brain and the rest of your body, meaning your nerve signals slow down or stop.

We don't know exactly why this happens. The most common thought is that a virus or gene defect, or both, are to blame. Environmental factors may even play a role. We do know that the disorder affects more women than men, that you may get the disorder if you have a family history of MS, and that you are at higher risk if you live in a part of the world where MS is more common. It's typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, but we see the disorder at any age.

Now you may ask, how do you know you have multiple sclerosis?

Symptoms of MS can vary widely from person to person because the location and severity of each attack can be different. Episodes may last for days, weeks, or months. You may even have long periods where you have no symptoms. We call this remission.

Because MS may damage nerves in any part of the brain or spinal cord, you may have symptoms in many parts of the body. You may have muscle problems, including loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness, trouble moving your arms or legs, even trouble walking. You may have bowel and bladder problems, such as constipation, trouble urinating, or a frequent urge to urinate. You may have double vision, eye pain, or uncontrolled eye movements. You will probably be tired a lot, and it's often worse in the late afternoon. And those are just a few of the many possible symptoms of MS.

Since symptoms of MS may mimic those of other nervous system disorders, your doctor will want to rule those out. Your doctor may suspect MS if you have trouble with two different parts of your central nervous system (such as abnormal reflexes) at two different times.

A neurological exam may show you have reduced function in one area of your body, or it may be spread over many parts of your body. You may have abnormal reflexes, decreased ability to move a part of your body, a loss of sensation. An eye exam might show abnormal pupil responses, changes in your visual field, or trouble seeing.

There is no known cure for MS, so your doctor will focus on therapies to slow down the disorder, to control your symptoms and help you maintain a normal quality of life. Your doctor can prescribe different medicines to help with this. You may have to take several medications.

Life expectancy with MS can be normal, or almost normal. Most people with MS continue to walk and function at work with minimal disability for 20 or more years. The amount of disability and discomfort can depend on how often you have attacks, on how bad they are, and what part of the central nervous system is affected by each attack. Most people return to normal or near-normal function between attacks. But, over time, many people with MS will need a wheelchair.

To help you maintain a normal quality of life, your doctor may suggest physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and support groups, depending on your needs. Starting an exercising program early in the course of your disorder, eating right, and getting enough rest can also help.

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
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