STANDING TOO LONG HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU

morning everyone, hope you’re all doing ok, I seem to be posting a lot these days, anyway just wondered how it affects you if you stand for too long, for me well it seems to long, but not like it was, my legs start to hurt, get really uncomfortable, and then around my knees my skin changes colour, can go all the colour’s of the rainbow, when they do this they also either go really warm, or cold,now at first I thought it was my circulation but on a visit to my GP I asked the question, she tested that for me and it’s very good, so she could only put it down to my MS, so how does it get you, and does anyone alse get what I do, take care, and have a good day, Jean x

Hi Jean

I hope you are doing ok this fine morning, well it’s fine down here in Kent.

Apart from balance problems; I have permanent problems with my feet, originally numbness, then Neuropathic feeling of wearing big very tight boots and also burning. So don’t tend to stand up very much these days. My legs are painful and weak. I find walking easier than standing and walking has become a problem too. I use my rollator with a seat in the kitchen to make drinks etc. I have pain in my spine so sitting is difficult too. The only time I’m really comfy is lieing on the bed tilted on my side; in this way I can read my book, bliss.

Wendy x

If I am standing for longer than about 10 min my feet start to hurt I also start to wobble if I am looking up at something such as when shopping and looking at something on a high shelf/rack

Hi there My legs are awful generally, so standing for any length of time at all, is a nightmare! I just avoid doing it if possible. Standing in a queue in a shop is a no no and is very difficult if I have to do it. Teresa xx

I am constantly looking for a chair as i can feel light headed and wobbly

Hi,

I’ve not been dx yet…but I have the same problem…If I stand or walk too much, my ankle and feet really hurt…my legs feel like jelly.

Sometimes, my feet feel numb and I generally feel light headed or drunk even when I’m not standing…not good.

Take care,

Wendyx

Im not actuall too bad with just standing… bit wobbly but ok. Walking… verrrry different matter!!

Hi,

Im okay as long as I can prop myself up somewhere when I start to feel lightheaded and wobbly. Saying that, I fell headfirst into the lettuce and spring onions at Tescos the other day because I lost my balance. I felt a right idiot and I’m sure people thought I was drunk. Picked myself up and ‘moonwalked’ out of the place if you know what I mean!

Suex

I’m actually worse just standing there - e.g. in a queue, or getting collared talking to someone for a long time - than if I’m able to keep moving.

I don’t find it affects my head at all, but I start to feel very tired and achey - not just my legs, but all the way up to chest level.

Sometimes I need to interrupt people who want to gossip endlessly in the street (my mum’s friends are the worst for this, so going to the shops with her is a nightmare), and tell them I have to go.

T.

Jean, Ive always had trouble standing due to hypermobility issues, however once ms started its even worse, in other words I avoid standing because it brings on the fatigue big time and even if its just for a few minutes. I tend to shift my weight to one hip or hold onto wall, or lean if possible. Using my stick helps however standing is a no no for me too.

Im sure ms does us no favours - having to use up more strength maintaining any stance. It would appear that walking (shifting ones weight) takes a little less effort, however even that on a bad day is out too.

You are not alone J,

bren

x

I too find standing is worse than walking…ironing is done in lots of small amounts rather than my pre ms life when I did it all on a Sunday.

Funnily enough it did it in the garden in the sun one day in shorts, and when I got to the point of stopping but then did another few things despite the pain I looked at my legs and my feet and calves were blue/purple and blotchy. when I pressed the skin on my feet it went white and then took ages to go back to blue.

After half an hour with them up it all went back to normal.

Makes me wonder if this has been the problem with standing in everyday life all along

Pip

[quote=“pip”]

I too find standing is worse than walking…ironing is done in lots of small amounts rather than my pre ms life when I did it all on a Sunday.

Funnily enough it did it in the garden in the sun one day in shorts, and when I got to the point of stopping but then did another few things despite the pain I looked at my legs and my feet and calves were blue/purple and blotchy. when I pressed the skin on my feet it went white and then took ages to go back to blue.

After half an hour with them up it all went back to normal.

Makes me wonder if this has been the problem with standing in everyday life all along

Pip

[/quote] Hi Pip One thing re:standing doing the ironing. I bought a perching stool to sit to do the ironing. It has made my life much easier and I can sit there and do the whole lot I if I need to Hth, Teresa xx

Hi Jean, I just get very tired very quickly and legs ache even though they don’t feel attached to my body!

I do not get the purple blotchy skin… but interestingly I was reading an American book about women with MS and one of the women in there did get the purple blotchy skin and her neuro said it was MS causing it. Something to do with the nerve messages not getting through to the capillaries (those tiny veins near surface of skin).

I think it’s one of those symptoms that not all neuro’s would know about… so even though you might not get a neuro to agree it’s an MS thing, you can rest assured that at least one neuro in America says it is!

Pat x

I find walking too far or at any speed really hard, I get pins and needles and a burning buzing sensation where my legs go like lead then all the strength goes and they go numb and I have to sit down. Standing is slightly better for me as I can stand leaning on things but I’ve started to get symptoms when queuing and have had too leave shops when the queue as been long as I start to get teh above symptoms and a mssive wave of fatigue too.

I find walking too far or at any speed really hard, I get pins and needles and a burning buzing sensation where my legs go like lead then all the strength goes and they go numb and I have to sit down. Standing is slightly better for me as I can stand leaning on things but I’ve started to get symptoms when queuing and have had too leave shops when the queue as been long as I start to get the above symptoms and a mssive wave of fatigue too.

OMG, thank you for all you’re replies, very interesting, we all seem to get similar things, I too get light head for no reason, can lose my balance when looking up or down, if I look to quickly to my right I want to fall over, ( thats my worst side ), walking isn’t great these days either, boy oh boy this MS thing is a real Bi*ch for all of us, take care, Jean x

Not diagnosed. Since summer have found regularly getting lower back pain after about half an hour, but this is mild. Regularly getting left behind now on family walks (its ok, they do still love me, but no quarter given for dawdling) as walking speed has markedly declined, even my wife is beating me up slopes.

Standing for any length of time makes me feel really strange, lightheaded and often I feel a restriction in my chest as if I’m unable to get enough air in. It is far worse to stand than it is to walk. My legs ache and so does my back but I haven’t noticed discolouration (that said I’ve not actually looked at my legs when feeling like this, will do next time!)

It is a symptom that in my experience few people without MS can empathise with as it’s assumed that standing has to be less taxing than being on the move. My husband just doesn’t get it when he is happy to stand endlessly looking at boats and gets miffed if I ask him to move on!

Jean Im glad youve broached this subject, thought it was just me, as Im odd at the best of times.

Isnt it amazing how we find lots of things in common. I thank you, now I know its not all in the ed!

take care,

bren

x

hi jean

just like everyone else not good standing too long, like washing dishes(thats my excuse)

get pain in spine and legs just stiffen up

waiting for perch chair maybe that’ll help

steve