How I overcame my embarrassing gait.

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I was horribly embarrassed whenever I had to walk in front of people, but nothing I tried would get rid of the bounce, bounce, bounce. People commented on my gait often enough that I knew it wasn't my imagination. (This was decades before I ever heard of Asperger's.)

I learned that male models touched the floor with their toes first, then their heels, but I couldn't even begin to accomplish that motion.

Then I took a Tai Chi class. In Tai Chi you learn to put all of your weight on one foot as you slowly extend your other foot and put it on the floor. You keep balanced on the first foot until the second foot is on the floor. You do not shift your weight mid stride. When the second foot is fully on the floor, you shift your weight to it. After all of your weight is shifted to the second foot, you raise your first foot off the floor and move it forward, keeping all your weight balanced on the second foot until the first foot is back on the floor. It took me a while to master the balancing trick. Once I had it, I started Tai Chi walking very slowly around the house. Then I started doing it while walking the dog late at night. It took a while, but it eventually became fairly natural. At that point I was able to speed it up. It wasn't exactly Tai Chi walking anymore, but I was walking normally for the first time in my life.

Studies show that smiling releases the same endorphins whether the smile is genuine or false. I am now wondering if the funny gait, which is a common AS trait, is connected to the brain in such a way that learning to walk gracefully can somehow have feedback in the Aspie brain.

my son taught me to walk more properly but I find it exhausting to do so so usually revert to the shuffling and tripping alot. maybe i will practice your method and see if it is better

Interesting..I might give it a try after i stop limping, concidering it is my gait that constantly makes me sprain my ankle...(constantly as in once or twice a year...but that is way more than enough)

I realise now that a physo taught me heal to toe when I was young. I think it help when you start young.

haha, nice use or words dog. yes i am talking like a rapper but i dont rap.

i have a pretty wierd walk myself (i cant describe it) but if im more aware of it the worse it get

I like my bounce!

Funny thing is, I don't have that bouncy walk -- but that's because I was born club-footed and my ankles don't really flex properly. So I walk normally, 'cause the foot problems cancel out the AS.

Now I've got a reason to be thankful for club feet! God works in mysterious ways ...

Could the Aspie bounce be caused by a structural problem? I recall friends making fun of the way I walked in junior high. I have one leg slightly longer than the other so I always thought that is part of what makes me walk weird. I didn't even try to walk till I was 2 years old so that may be from PDD. These days I've injured myself so many times, both ankles broken, fibula broken, torn ACL and miniscus which has caused me to limp for the past 5 years as its been one injury after another. Now I don't think I remember how a normal person is suppose to walk anyway. I injured my knee recently so I am limping big time again. I think I will ask my phys therapist if she can teach me to walk correctly.

I still kind of bounce. I walk fast, too. When college kids have to shadow me they groan because I walk very fast. I think the bounce is better for me than "thud, thud, thud." That's hard on the joints.

Has anyone tried to walk Native American style? I've tried but its hard to learn, at least for me. Traditional Natives touch the ground with the ball of the foot first and never quite let their heel strike. They say white men strike the heel first because they feel superior and they are stomping on the Earth. stomp..stomp...stomp This could be true as I've noticed the Type A personality, bigoted, holier than thou type people are always stompers. The Native way probably is easier on ankle and knee joints and might stave off arthritis if done consistently.

Uh, I seem to be left out of the circle of people who are in the know about what exactly constitues a funny gait. I don't think I walk particularly funny, although up until recently I tended to slump alot when I walk. Is there maybe a video so I can see if I'm like that or not?

Malador have someone videotape you when you aren't aware. I bet you walk funny. Every Aspie I have met walks goofy. Ahem, its a requirement to join the club ya know.

I think I shall apply for a grant from the Ministry of Silly Walks.

I'm a physio. You probably have poor proprioception (awareness of body position) around your ankles + weak muscles.

Try standing on 1 food when you're brushing your teeth, buttering your toast etc

When you get stronger you can practice balancing on 1 foot on a pillow.

Or stand on 1 foot and throw a tennis ball against the wall and catch it again.

You can also try heel raises on the stairs.

Hope your ankles gets better soon.

Regards
Smelena / Helen

try walking with ur eyes closed

I read that once as a kid and spent several weeks trying to perfect my soundless walk in the woods behind my elementary school. I still haven't got it down.