Are you Dragging your feet?

Because I hate it!

Moving to a country where 75% of the population wear flip flops or slip on shoes was not ideal for my pet hate. Every morning as I am walking down Orchard road admiring the beautiful sky I hear and see scuffing of the feet all too regularly.

From a young age I was scolded for dragging my feet. I was told it would ruin my shoes and money doesn't grow on trees to replace them. As a child I can understand doing it, rebelling from being told what to do, specifically if your parents are the ones asking!

As an adult I think it just shows a lack of interest, laziness and lack of confidence. Whether you are meeting a date for the first time or attending a job interview, the last thing that you want to depict is any of these.

Why Do People Drag their feet?

1. Habit: Some people may have developed the habit of dragging their feet when they walk, and they may not even be aware that they are doing it.
2. Footwear: Ill-fitting or uncomfortable footwear can also cause people to drag their feet while walking. This is because the shoes may not provide enough support or may be too loose, causing the foot to slide forward and the toes to drag on the ground.
3. Fatigue: When people are tired, exhausted or too weak, they may not lift their feet as high when walking, leading to scuffing and dragging.
4. Lack of attention: This is definitely something I have observed more with the use of mobile phones whilst walking. Sometimes, people may be distracted or not paying attention when walking, causing them to drag their feet accidentally.
5. Medical conditions: Scuffing the feet while walking could be a symptom of certain medical conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or peripheral neuropathy.

What Medical Conditions Cause Foot Dragging?

1. Neurological conditions: Conditions that affect the nervous system, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, or spinal cord injuries, can cause difficulty with movement and coordination, leading to dragging the feet.
2. Peripheral neuropathy: This condition affects the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, often causing numbness, tingling, and weakness in the feet and legs. This can make it difficult to lift the feet while walking, resulting in dragging the feet.
3. Muscular dystrophy: This is a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of the muscles. It can affect the muscles that control movement in the feet and legs, leading to dragging the feet while walking.
4. Stroke: A stroke can cause weakness or paralysis in one side of the body, including the feet and legs, leading to dragging of the affected foot.
5. Trauma: Injuries to the legs, ankles, or feet can cause nerve damage or muscle weakness, leading to difficulty with lifting the foot while walking and resulting in dragging the feet.

If a person is experiencing foot dragging or difficulty with walking, it is important to point it out that it could be a problem and seek podiatric intervention.

It may not be any of these conditions, it may just be the fact that you are wearing the wrong shoes or that you require some lower limb conditioning work. Its always best to check and see to it sooner rather than later.