Correcting my walking posture after compensations became a habit

“My body looks the same, but it works differently now.”

A friend told me that 30 years ago, following her abdominal surgery. I remember nodding to show compassion, while secretly thinking, “I haven’t a clue what she’s talking about.” Decades later, living with ALS, I finally understand. When I look in the mirror, I recognize the face staring back at me. But the moment I try to walk or speak, a different version of me responds.

Adjusting to this “new normal” requires constant attention, especially when it comes to two subtle traps that hamper my progress: compensation and learned nonuse.

For many of us, ALS is an invisible condition. We don’t always notice the slow creep of change over weeks and months — not until a dropped glass or a sudden stumble forces us to acknowledge a loss of strength. My ALS journey began with weakness in my legs and feet. At first, I made excuses, blaming a strenuous workout or a simple lack of focus. As my balance wavered, I began to compensate by furniture-surfing, hugging railings, and leaning heavily on grocery carts. These were automatic, not-so-good compensations.

Eventually, I transitioned to using a rollator. This was what I call good compensation, as it restored my mobility. However, I’ve discovered that even this helpful tool challenges my goal of maintaining physical ability.

Recommended Reading

April 2, 2025 Columns by Dagmar Munn

How I set fitness goals — and achieve them — in life with ALS

The mirror’s honesty

Recently, I caught my reflection in a floor-length mirror while walking with my rollator. I was startled by my own posture. My hips were pushed so far back that I was forced to lean heavily on the handles, causing my shoulders to hunch. It was no wonder I was dragging my toes with every step. My body had developed a not-so-good habit that had morphed into a permanent stance without me even realizing it.

In a previous column, I joked that I had met the enemy and discovered it wasn’t actually my ALS this time. Patients with neurological conditions often experience weakness in muscles that should be strong, simply because those muscles are no longer being recruited for movement.

The clinical term is learned nonuse, or disuse atrophy. For many, this happens due to a sedentary lifestyle. In my case, it happened because I was letting the rollator do the work my hip and back muscles used to do. When we stop calling on these muscles, they weaken further and eventually atrophy to the point of unresponsiveness.

Reclaiming my good walking posture

Once I recognized the habit, my mind jumped into action. I developed three simple strategies to add to my daily routine:

Upper back strengthening: While seated, I pull myself up as tall as possible. I extend my arms forward to nose height, then bend my elbows to draw my arms back and low along my sides, keeping my chest lifted. I aim for eight to 10 repetitions.

Low back and hips: Standing with my rollator, I maintain a tall, straight spine. Bending only at the hips, I slowly hinge forward while keeping my legs straight, then return to a full standing position. I repeat this eight to 10 times.

Mindful walking: When using my rollator, I stay alert to the urge to push my hips back. Whenever I feel myself slouching, I consciously pull back up, reengaging the muscles in my hips and upper back that were trying to “slack off.”

We all walk a different path with ALS. I don’t know how long I will be able to maintain my current level of mobility, but I do know that I won’t give up. I’ll continue to create and use these simple exercises to help my body live as well as possible. I hope that by sharing my own “mirror moments,” I can help you, too.

Note: ALS News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of ALS News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to ALS.