Common Causes
Related Conditions
What can cause lack of coordination?
Damage to the part of your brain that controls muscle coordination (cerebellum) or its connections can cause ataxia....Acquired causes:Alcohol. Long-term excess alcohol intake may cause persistent ataxia. ... Medications. ... Toxins. ... Vitamins. ... Thyroid problems. ... Stroke. ... Multiple sclerosis. ... Autoimmune diseases.More items...•
Why do I suddenly feel uncoordinated?
Some injuries or illnesses can cause ataxia to appear suddenly. These include head injury, stroke, brain hemorrhage, infections, and other problems. Some conditions can cause ataxia to appear gradually. These include hypothyroidism, alcohol abuse, low levels of some vitamins, and other problems.
How do you fix being uncoordinated?
5 Coordination Exercises to Include in Your ProgrammingBall or Balloon Toss. Catch and bump a balloon back and forth using your hands, head, and other body parts. ... Jump Rope. This classic coordination exercise works to synchronize your hand-foot-eye movements. ... Balance Exercises. ... Target Exercises. ... Juggling and Dribbling.
What does it mean if you are uncoordinated?
lacking coordinationDefinition of uncoordinated : lacking coordination : not coordinated: such as. a : not able to move different parts of the body together well or easily …
Why does my balance feel strange?
Causes of balance problems include medications, ear infection, a head injury, or anything else that affects the inner ear or brain. Low blood pressure can lead to dizziness when you stand up too quickly.
Can anxiety mess with your coordination?
Coordination problems and clumsiness can be symptoms of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and others.
Can stress cause loss of coordination?
New research has shown that a single exposure to acute stress affected information processing in the cerebellum -- the area of the brain responsible for motor control and movement coordination and also involved in learning and memory formation.
Why are my motor skills off?
Ataxia is a loss or decrease in the control over fine motor skills. It can be caused by damage to the cerebellum, which is located at the base of the brain and is the region of the brain that controls voluntary motor control.
What does poor coordination look like?
problems with coordination and balance, which can include clumsiness, an unsteady gait, and frequent falling. trouble with fine motor tasks, such as writing, picking up small objects, or buttoning clothes. slurred or unclear speech. tremors or muscle spasms.
Can coordination be improved?
Many people feel they're inherently uncoordinated, as if the Coordination Fairy skipped them at birth. But the truth is people aren't born with good coordination. Coordination is a learned, practiced skill that begins with active effort. This means anyone, at any age, can improve coordination.
What is losing coordination?
Ataxia means without coordination. People with ataxia lose muscle control in their arms and legs. This may lead to a lack of balance, coordination, and trouble walking. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and even eye movements.
How can balance and coordination be improved?
6 Exercises to Promote Balance That You Can Do at HomeStanding March. Standing near a sturdy support, begin marching in place slowly for 20-30 seconds. ... Standing 3-Way Kicks. ... Sidestepping. ... 1-Leg Stand. ... Sit to Stand and Stand to Sit. ... Heel-to-Toe Standing or Walking.
Why am I stumbling all of a sudden?
Common causes of sudden confusion a lack of oxygen in the blood (hypoxia) – the cause could be anything from a severe asthma attack to a problem with the lungs or heart. an infection anywhere in the body, especially in elderly people. a stroke or TIA ('mini stroke') a low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia)
Can stress cause loss of coordination?
New research has shown that a single exposure to acute stress affected information processing in the cerebellum -- the area of the brain responsible for motor control and movement coordination and also involved in learning and memory formation.
Is it normal to feel spaced out sometimes?
Nearly everyone zones out from time to time. It might happen more frequently when you feel bored or stressed, or when you'd rather be doing something else. It's also pretty common to experience prolonged spaciness or brain fog if you're dealing with grief, a painful breakup, or other difficult life circumstances.
Why are people less coordinated as adults?
Thus, they didn’t spend much time training their coordination, and as a result are probably less coordinated as adults. Perhaps quitting the third grade soccer team after just one (very embarrassing) season might in some small way explain why poor coordination has continued to plague me as an adult.
Why is good coordination important?
Good coordination can also reduce your risk of injury, say Aanonson and Somerset. When your movements are more accurate, you’re less likely to engage muscles and tissues that shouldn’t be engaged, and you’re also more likely to be moving your body in patterns that are safe for your muscles and joints.
How to increase coordination?
Adding more joints, velocity, and/or load to a movement can increase the coordination challenge . Squatting while raising your hands overhead, for example, involves more coordination than squatting without any upper-body motion because the former involves orchestrating more joints. Sprinting, as another example, involves more coordination than walking because the velocity of the movement is much greater, Paul Aanonson, C.S.C.S., and owner of Simple Speed Coach in northern Colorado, tells SELF. And lunging with a barbell requires more coordination than lunging with just your bodyweight because the load is much greater.
What is the difference between coordination and balance?
And while the concepts are indeed similar and often work together to help you move efficiently, there is a difference among all three: Stability is more about maintaining the positioning of a joint or segment, balance is more about keeping your center of gravity over your base of support, and coordination is more about accurately executing a specific movement, Somerset explains.
What are some examples of coordination?
For example, catching a tennis ball would involve upper-body coordination between your hands and eyes; kicking a soccer ball would involve lower-body coordination between your eyes and feet. In the gym specifically, examples of coordination-focused movements include pressing two dumbbells over your head in a straight line rather than making circles or swivels, or throwing a medicine ball at a target (say, the wall), and actually hitting that target instead of the person doing deadlifts next to the wall, he says.
How to improve coordination in the gym?
Skipping is another good way to work your coordination, says Somerset. Try simply skipping from one end of the gym to the other, tapping each foot to the ground twice before switching legs. If you can, add in an arm swing. Though skipping may sound like child’s play, “a lot of people do struggle with it,” he warns.
How to do coordination drills?
A basic coordination drill would be to bounce a tennis ball against a wall and catch it with one hand. You could increase the challenge by alternating which hand catches it, and then make it even more difficult by having a friend throw the ball to you, suggests Somerset. From there, you can continue progressing it by having the friend bounce the ball to you; then repeat, but stand on one foot; then repeat, but stand on one foot on an unstable surface (like grass or gravel); then repeat while answering questions, he says.
Why are people less coordinated as adults?
Thus, they didn’t spend much time training their coordination, and as a result , are probably less coordinated as adults. Perhaps quitting the third grade soccer team after just one (very embarrassing) season might, in some small way, explain why poor coordination has continued to plague me as an adult.
How to increase coordination?
Adding more joints, velocity, and/or load to a movement can increase the coordination challenge . Squatting while raising your hands overhead, for example, involves more coordination than squatting without any upper-body motion because the former involves orchestrating more joints. Sprinting, as another example, involves more coordination than walking because the velocity of the movement is much greater, Paul Aanonson, C.S.C.S., and owner of Simple Speed Coach in northern Colorado, tells SELF. And lunging with a barbell requires more coordination than lunging with just your bodyweight because the load is much greater.
What is the difference between coordination and balance?
And while the concepts are indeed similar and often working together to help you move efficiently, there is a difference among all three: Stability is more about maintaining the positioning of a joint or segment , balance is more about keeping your center of gravity over your base of support, and coordination is more about accurately executing a specific movement, Somerset explains.
What are some examples of coordination?
For example, catching a tennis ball would involve upper-body coordination between your hands and eyes; kicking a soccer ball would involve lower-body coordination between your eyes and feet. In the gym specifically, examples of coordination-focused movements include pressing two dumbbells over your head in a straight line rather than making circles or swivels, or throwing a medicine ball at a target (say, the wall), and actually hitting that target instead of the person doing deadlifts next to the wall, he says.
How to improve coordination in the gym?
Skipping is another good way to work your coordination, says Somerset. Try simply skipping from one end of the gym to the other, tapping each foot to the ground twice before switching legs. If you can, add in an arm swing. Though skipping may sound like child’s play, “a lot of people do struggle with it,” he warns.
What to do if you fall down and don't see results?
Other coordination-related red flags: If you start falling down, especially in situations where you previously would not have fallen, it’s a good idea to see a doctor, she adds. Also, if you’ve dedicated time to improving your coordination but still don’t see any results, you should probably also chat with your doctor just to make sure there’s nothing worrisome that’s thwarting your success, she advises.
What is coordination in kinesiology?
But the most consistent way to describe it, he says, is as “the ability to perform both fine and gross motor tasks with a high degree of success.” And that could mean anything from throwing and catching a ball to playing piano to scratching your nose to something even as simple as walking, he explains.
What causes a person to be unsteady?
Any number of other things can knock your balance off-kilter, Dr. Honaker says. Something relatively minor, like dehydration or fatigue, can cause a bout of unsteadiness. But what if you’re hydrated, rested — and still stumbling? These are some of the usual suspects.
What does it feel like when you move your head?
When that happens, you can feel like the room is whirling around you — especially when you move your head suddenly, like rolling over in bed or tipping your head back for a shampoo at the salon. The official name of this disorder is a mouthful: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
What to do if something is off with your balance?
If something seems off with your balance, it’s wise to see a doctor to investigate possible suspects, Dr. Honaker says.
What is balance disorder?
But “balance disorders” include a broad range of problems, from minor lightheadedness to feeling like you’re standing on a boat (on one foot, during a hurricane). Dr. Honaker shares more about the common causes of balance problems — and how to keep marching steady.
How to walk safely at night?
Safety-proof your home. Place hand grips in the bath and shower and always use handrails when walking up and down stairs. Use adequate lighting or night lights to safely walk around your home at night.
What to wear when you are scared of losing balance?
Remove hazardous items from the floor that may trip people, such as stools and scatter rugs. Wear low-heeled, flexible shoes with a good tread. For women, it’s tempting to wear high heels, but flats are a safer option if you are worried about losing your balance.
How to avoid falling?
Get strong. A strong body, particularly your core, will improve your balance and help you avoid falls. Consult a doctor first, but you could try tai chi, yoga or even standard strength training.
Why do children have difficulty with coordination?
Issues with coordination in children can also be caused by: vision problems. flatfeet, or lack of a foot arch. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Your doctor will be able to provide treatment options, depending on the cause.
Why do toddlers have trouble with coordination?
Trouble with coordination in children isn’t unusual as toddlers learn how to stand and walk. Growth spurts can also contribute as your child gets used to their growing body.
What does it mean when you are clumsy?
Clumsiness. You might think of yourself as clumsy if you often bump into furniture or drop things. Clumsiness is defined as poor coordination, movement, or action. In healthy people, it can be a minor issue. But, at the same time it can increase your risk for accidents or serious injuries, like concussions. A 2009 review of studies.
How do you know if you have Parkinson's disease?
Other signs and symptoms include: loss of smell . trouble sleeping. constipation. soft or low voice. masked face, or blank stare. Your doctor will be able to recommend a treatment and refer you to a specialist if they give you a diagnosis for Parkinson’s disease.
How does the reference frame of the hand affect the movement of older adults?
While younger adults focused their reference frame on the hand, older adults use a reference frame centered on their whole body. This change can affect how older adults plan and guide their movements.
Can you walk when you are intoxicated?
You may have difficulty maintaining your balance or coordinating steps while trying to walk when intoxicated. This can result in injuring yourself or getting a concussion if you fall.
Is clumsiness a symptom of underlying health issues?
But if you have sudden, ongoing issues with coordination, or if it seriously interferes with your health, it could be a symptom of an underlying condition.
