Feeling unsteady on your feet, whether a moment of dizziness, difficulty staying upright, or a sense that your legs aren’t supporting you like they should, can be unsettling. These challenges may develop gradually over time or occur suddenly in certain situations. Issues with balance and stability can stem from various causes, including inner ear problems, muscle weakness, or nerve conditions.
In some cases, balance issues while standing or walking may be linked to peripheral artery disease (PAD). This vascular condition is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries, which restricts the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the lower extremities, potentially leading to muscle weakness in the calves and thighs. It can also result in claudication, a pain in the legs that is only relieved when resting.
In this blog, we’ll explore some common reasons why you may experience unsteadiness or balance issues and how to know if the cause is peripheral artery disease (PAD).
What Causes Balance Issues While Walking?
Many health risks and lifestyle factors can contribute to balance issues, and some conditions are more severe than others.
Some common causes of balance issues include:
- Neurological: Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, or peripheral neuropathy can impair the brain’s ability to communicate with the muscles, leading to poor coordination and reduced leg strength that affects balance.
- Musculoskeletal: Poor joint alignment or arthritis can weaken the muscles in the legs, causing issues with posture and gait mechanics, which can make it more difficult to remain stable while walking or standing.
- Inner ear disorders: Vertigo, Meniere’s disease, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), can disrupt equilibrium, resulting in dizziness or sudden unsteadiness.
- Medications: Certain medications or combinations, such as sedatives, blood pressure medications, or antidepressants, can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or slowed reflexes, which can impair walking stability and balance.
- Vision problems: Vision provides critical input for spatial orientation and coordination. Poor eyesight or vision loss can make it difficult to judge distance or terrain changes, increasing the risk of imbalance.
- Cardiovascular Issues: Serious vascular conditions that affect blood flow and circulation can cause temporary lightheadedness or faintness, especially during physical activity. Poor blood flow to the lower extremities can also lead to muscle fatigue, leg weakness, or numbness, making it harder to maintain balance while walking or standing.
These conditions can often overlap with problems like reduced circulation or weak legs, both of which can make it harder to maintain balance. Understanding what contributes to balance issues is an important step toward managing symptoms. An accurate diagnosis can help identify the underlying cause and determine the best treatment plan to improve stability and reduce future risk.
Do Weak Legs Cause Loss of Balance?
Weak legs can cause loss of balance. This weakness is often caused by restricted blood flow, which prevents essential nutrients from reaching the tissue in the lower extremities. As a result, individuals may experience numbness, fatigue, or a tingling sensation in their legs or feet. This discomfort can affect stability, making it harder to balance when standing or walking. This is one reason balance issues are frequently reported among individuals with PAD.
Why Peripheral Artery Disease Causes Balance Problems
Peripheral artery disease restricts circulation in the lower body, causing pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs and feet, which are key contributors to balance and coordination.
The most common symptom of PAD is claudication. Claudication causes pain that occurs with movement and disappears with rest. Without treatment, these symptoms can worsen over time, disrupting balance and increasing the risk of injury.
How Peripheral Artery Disease Impacts the Circulatory System and Balance
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries, which restricts the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the legs and feet. When PAD is left untreated, plaque will continue to accumulate, which can lead to weak legs, numbness, and chronic pain in the lower extremities.
While the pain may be manageable for some patients, others struggle with stability in their day-to-day lives. Individuals with PAD may experience temporary balance difficulties after physical exertion or prolonged standing. In more advanced cases, persistent symptoms can contribute to chronic balance and mobility challenges.
Peripheral Artery Disease Symptoms That May Affect Balance
In addition to weak legs and loss of balance, other potential symptoms of PAD include:
- Pain in the legs while walking (claudication)
- Coldness in one leg or foot
- Numbness or tingling in the lower legs
- Slow-healing foot wounds or ulcers
- Leg heaviness or weakness in the legs
- Skin discoloration or shiny skin
Check If Your Symptoms Could Be PAD
Are Your Balance Issues from Peripheral Artery Disease?
Balance and stability issues are common symptoms of diabetes, neuropathy, and even arthritis, which means it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what is causing changes in stability without a proper vascular screening. If you’re experiencing balancing issues along with any of the PAD symptoms listed above, schedule a consultation with a vascular specialist for an accurate diagnosis.
How to Determine if Your Balance Issues Are Related to PAD
A vascular specialist can perform non-invasive diagnostic tests to assess blood flow in the legs and determine whether restricted circulation is contributing to symptoms, as well as identify the cause of instability and loss of balance.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) requires medical intervention to prevent the disease from worsening. An early diagnosis will help prevent the disease from progressing to late-stage PAD. In later stages of PAD, non-surgical treatment options may become limited or no longer viable.
Non-Surgical Peripheral Artery Disease Treatment to Restore Mobility
USA Vascular Centers offers non-surgical, outpatient treatment for peripheral artery disease (PAD). After a vascular specialist assesses your condition, a personalized treatment plan is developed based on the diagnostic findings and the severity of your symptoms.
One of the following non-surgical PAD treatment options may be recommended:
- Angioplasty: A balloon attached to a catheter is inserted into the artery and used to compress the plaque against the artery wall to restore blood flow.
- Stent placement: A stent is used to keep the affected artery propped open, restoring blood flow and preventing future blockages.
- Atherectomy: A catheter with a laser or blade is inserted into the groin or thigh and used to remove plaque from the affected artery.
Take Balance Issues Seriously
Weak legs and loss of balance should not be overlooked, especially when accompanied by other symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD). If you believe that your balance issues may be caused by PAD, schedule a consultation at USA Vascular Centers.
Our team of vascular specialists will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to directly address your symptoms, ensuring you receive the care you need. We accept most insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Schedule your appointment online or call 888.773.2193 to speak to a member of our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are balance issues more common in people with diabetes and PAD?
Balance issues are more common in people with diabetes and PAD, as reduced blood flow can contribute to leg pain, numbness, or muscle weakness. These symptoms affect stability, making it harder to maintain balance, especially when walking or standing.
Can PAD cause balance issues even if I don’t have leg pain?
PAD can cause balance issues even without leg pain by leading to leg weakness or heaviness. While there might not be any pain associated with these symptoms, they can cause balance and stability issues for some patients.
Are balance issues a sign that PAD is getting worse?
Balance problems can be a sign that PAD is progressing, as reduced blood flow affects muscle control and stability.
Can poor circulation increase the likelihood of impaired balance and falling?
Yes, poor circulation can increase the risk of balance issues and falls by causing pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs.
