Neuropathy in lower legs causing difficulty standing

Hello @helpwanted132, Welcome to Connect. I have a similar problem with standing too long. I get a little wobbly and have to move a little to keep my balance. I need to walk more but have trouble walking due to lower back issues and some forward leaning similar to bent spine syndrome. I have been trying to strengthen my calf muscles also by exercising my legs more. I do use to home machines. One is a Teeter FreeStep Recumbent Cross Trainer and the other that I recently obtained is a Row-N-Ride machine that makes it easier for me to do squats to strengthen the leg muscles as well as being great for cardio. There are a couple of other discussions you might find helpful:
--- Neuropathy & Exercise: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/neuropathy-exercise/
--- Having trouble keeping your balance?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/having-trouble-keeping-your-balance/.

You also might find this article helpful:
--- Exercises for Peripheral Neuropathy: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercises-for-peripheral-neuropathy.

Have checked with your doctor or a physical therapist to see if they might have some specific suggestions?

@helpwanted132 - I also share your experience and it is frustrating when you try to stand in one spot. I have both sensory and motor neuropathy. Sometimes to maintain balance, I also take small steps mostly backwards due to foot numbness and fewer times forward or find a wall for support or hold onto a chair, kitchen counter. My balance is better when I wear AFO's and I have been in balance therapy for about 2 - 3 months which is helping a little. Yes, at times a cane is necessary. Every doc will say don't fall which is enough to scare the heck out of us with PN. I said to my neuro doc OK, so what do you suggest I do? She sent me PT which is including balance exercises. I find PT tiring and I also do some exercises at home, but it helps. Wish you improvements going forward and keep walking as much as you can. Ed

My counter to 'wobbly' legs from nerve disease is the stutter step. Do it all the time while waiting on my deli order to be filled. The ultimate solution is a set of C-Braces. These are micro-computer controlled braces which learn your gait and anything that looks like a fall is arrested without action from you. Next best thing to an exo-skeleton (which is also Medicare approved for nerve diseases).

I have the exact same symptoms resulting from numbness in my feet and lower legs but my hands are also numb. I have just learned to live with it by being very careful not to fall.

I am dealing with this too. This is what my trainer has me doing. Sit on the edge of the chair, not uncomfortably, put a 5 lb weight on your knee and raise your your foot up on your toes, hold for 10 seconds then relax, repeat 10 times then do the other leg. You should feel your calf muscles working. Slowly increase the weight as tolerated. You will only be working your calf muscles.

Try the services of a physical therapist. I got similar symptoms that you have.

do exercises-stand and sit 5 times-put yourself aginst a wall and go on your tippy toes 20 times in a row -do these 2 exercises at 9 am and 1 pm and 5 pm everyday for the rest of your life and hope for the best like I do-Mike

Yes, me too. My balance is atrocious and things like typing this are becoming impossible because of numb hands. However, you are quite right, it is all about not taking risks if possible and being over-cautious about falling. Having had some really bad falls, I now go very carefully with my walking sticks and tend to watch the floor to make sure I 'pick my feet up'. It is not a good posture, but does help. Despite every caution, there are moments when I nearly go over as the lack of balance can catch you out in the simplest of movements. Like you, I just live with it, grateful to still be here and enjoying jaunts out with my dog on my trusty mobility scooter. I have a close relative who is fighting terminal cancer and going through the Hell of the treatments -compared to her, bless her, my difficulties are a doddle.

It seems balance difficulty is a part of the problem of neuropathy, since the brain-nerve-muscle circle has been disrupted. Physical therapy and Aquatherapy with the same PT have been helpful for me in respecting this disruption, and in hopefully finding a work-around to help restore some sense of balance.
However, a fall can be life-threatening, aside from being a tremendous physical setback.
I use a walker in the house, and for longer tasks, I use a wheelchair. I hope to be with a PT, ordered by my neurologist, for as long as possible, and to be doing core, upper body, and leg exercises as demonstrated by my PT, for the rest of my life. In my experience, I cannot so this alone, without the expertise of a good physical therapist who understands my neuropathy and all that it affects.

Totally agree with everything you said! I had to give up touch typing years ago, so now it is one finger typing. I spend a lot of time doing family history research so it goes much slower than it used to.