Seated Foot Tapping Challenge

[helptwitching]

These can both be performed seated1) Foot tapping - While seated, hold right heel on the ground and tap toes on the ground as fast and hard as possible. Now do it with your left foot - I can't get my left foot to tap anywhere near the speed of the right without feeling uncoordinated. Again, you have to leave the heel on the ground and do it hard, make some noise. Left shin feels tight too, I'm hoping it's just the left side being weaker than the right.(2) Ankle "clonus" - Now do the opposite, while seated, hold your right toes on the ground and raise the heel as far as possible. Now bring the heel down slowly (this isn't a speed test). Do you feel a prominent shake about 3/4 of the way down before the heel touches down? I get it in both legs.I don't think #2 is a big deal, I'm pretty sure I've had that prior to twitching for years and from what I understand a little "clonus" is perfectly normal. But I'm curious about #1.

 

[ionyZarrion]

I think self testing is counterproductive to be honest...you do it to reassure yourself and only succeed in creating more doubt and fear which creates more symptoms.Everyones weaker leg is gonna be a little more uncoordinated and slow so no worries there.As for clonus Im pretty sure every neurologist everywhere tests this so if ya had it or it was something to worry about they'd have told you.Dont worry about it ) Darragh

 

[ionyZarrion]

Just tried this out on my unbelievably patient, long suffering and non-fasciculating future wife.(1)She is so slow with her left foot... its actually embarrassing.(2)She trembles way worse than me.double no worries so ) ) Darragh

 

[JoggingCub]

Number one means nothing, my left leg is much slower than my right as well, and has been for years, it means absoultely nothing, I can run and walk all day, and jump up on picnic table tops . . . my demented strength testing . . . I may be wrong, someone kick my butt if I am, but I don't think what you describe in number two is clonus, sounds more like an action tremor. If it is a tremor - tremors are neither a sign or symptom of ALS. Even if it is clonus, it doesn't mean anything pathological.

 

[mommyLDN]

Okay, just to be a dork...and I truly was just curious...I tried this out first then made both my kids do it...they are 11 and 9. We came to the same conclusion: Your dominant foot taps MUCH faster then the less dominant. My son and I are left handed...our left toes tap faster. My daughter is right handed and she has her right foot tap faster.....we didn't do #2...I did and I don't have anything happen with that one. But you were curious about #1...so there is the vote from me!!!! )

 

[FantasticFurball]

Well I have to get in on this one............. 1. Your right foot should be faster, if thats your dominant side, and 2. I have non-sustained clonus in both my ankles and what you are describing is not clonus, it is what JoggingCub said either an action tremor and more than half the people on this board have that. It has to do with the whole hyper-active nerve theory, which is wayyyyy common for BFSers, trust me, its not clonus.Take CareRobynn )

 

[helptwitching]

Self-testing is really dumb. It will lead only to two things here in life:1) if it goes "wrong" : anxiety2) if it goes "good": anxiety as you are telling your brain that you are testing yourself for deadly diseases...Just dont.

 

[EyeoftheWild]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, I'll happily put these to rest! The more I google (including archives here) #2 is perfectly normal, and the diagnostic value of #1 is pretty useless if your dominant foot outperforms the other.The only reason I brought these up is recent soreness and exhaustion in my left shin when cycling - I've never noticed that muscle in a decade of exercise. Also had bouts of horrible ankle pain which subsided, and continue to have what feel like "tight bands" around the ankle. Most recently I'm getting what feels like a stiff and/or partially numb patch of muscle about halfway between the ankle and the bottom of the calf. Best way to describe it is a "dead patch" of muscle just under the skin. This feeling was accentuated especially after getting out of the shower, but now I get it all the time.PS - Regarding foot tests, particularly heel walking, I found it funny that on a few sites they actually recommend heel walking as an exercise to strengthen the shin muscles. If I did this consistently my ankles and feet would be shot! I've got to believe those with BFS or whatever the heck I've got develop slight tendon imbalances due to the muscle excitability that predispose us to ankle or hand/finger pain.