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Do you misstep going UP stairs or DOWN?

Do you misstep more going DOWN, UP or roughly same on stairs.

  • Down

    Votes: 13 28.3%

  • Up

    Votes: 32 69.6%

  • Both equally

    Votes: 1 2.2%
  • Total voters
    46
Leareth

Leareth

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 11, 2004
1,569
6
Vancouver
I have noticed that when going up stairs I rarely trip , but when walking down stairs 1/3 of the time I misstep. It is so bad that I take the elevator DOWN.

Just wondering if there are other people who misstep more often going down stairs than up.
 
Jhanson09 said:
people have really run out of things to talk about on here haven't they.
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yeah it is a little random but i think a nice change from all the relationship discussions lately.
plus I am curious.
the people who I know that misstep more going down have had ankle and knee injuries in the past.
 
dukebound85 said:
i love when i reach the bottom of stairs but dont realize it and expect another step and therefore kinds stumble lol
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I love the complete opposite, when you're already hit the bottom and the leg that would've taken the lower step hits solid ground unexpectedly, and you feel like rolling forward.

And when I'm in the mood, and there ain't that many people around I run down stairs, skipping 2 or 3 steps at a time. On the rare occasion I'll misstep, lose my balance and end up jumping (if possible) to the next landing. Never more than about 5/6 steps, and luckily never hit the ground.

Um, so I trip down more often.
 
I've tripped up the stairs probably three times more often then taken a misstep going down. I have a bad knee (with surgery), but I will more likely trip up. That's been for my whole life.

Now that I have MS, though, I find myself being less steady going down too. That's a bit more scary, because I feel like I could do more damage if I fell down than up.
 
Up, I can go up and skip steps on purpose without issue, down I can skip steps and 99% of the time I am fine.
 
I usually run up the stairs, and then come down like a horse (Taking two really fast, and then pause, then two really fast, etc), so I in turn trip down and up equally. When I run up, I do it two at a time...always, so I sometimes think I'm taking two, but take three, and that puts me off balance. Then on the way down, I actually sometimes lose my step.

Other than that, I'm a very balanced person :p
 
Most of the time it would be going up the stairs. I have a habit of going up the stairs at the edges of steps, so sometimes my feet will slip.
 
dukebound85 said:
i love when i reach the bottom of stairs but dont realize it and expect another step and therefore kinds stumble lol
Click to expand...

That's a real problem when at home for a particular staircase because it kinda twists in the middle at a 90 degree angle... so if I'm walking down at night (no lights), I'm usually thinking: "Was that 6 steps before the two special steps then turn left? Or was it 7?" :)

I end up walking down very, very slowly and carefully, especially around the 5th step, stop, see if there's one more normal step. If yes, repeat the test until I know for sure I'm on the two unusual steps then turn left and keep on walking down. :)

Going up? No problem, that's a piece of cake.
 
I mis-step going up only if i am taking my time. But if I am rushing up the stairs at a fast pace, i dont mis-step. When I go down, i never mis-step.
 
Have noticed that I am more likely to trip going up stairs if I am wearing something long (e.g. dressing-gown/ robe) which flaps about my legs -think the motion of this causes some kind of visual confusion for me about which leg is where!
 
I skip steps up and do each step down. Never trip. But sometimes I **** up and do 3 steps.

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Kaleidoscope1 said:
Have noticed that I am more likely to trip going up stairs if I am wearing something long (e.g. dressing-gown/ robe) which flaps about my legs -think the motion of this causes some kind of visual confusion for me about which leg is where!
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Interesting...that's a bit weird.
 
ucfgrad93 said:
Oddly enough, I too miss more steps going up than down.
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But, when going down, the next step is farther away from your bifocals. ;)

I find it's older folks with failing eyesight that have the most trouble on stairs. They're still mobile, not using a cane, etc., but stairs are the first thing that gets tricky.

Great discussion about something we will all encounter in life.
 
Definitely down. I have bad knees so down/declines (or uneven surfaces) can be difficult.
 
Weird thread to bring back from the dead!

Earlier this year, I walked out of my house and fell back first on the ice on the steps and was very close to almost sliding all the way down just trying to get up. I am lucky to have a high pain tolerance. :eek:

I've had nerve damage on the right side of my body all my life, especially on my leg and hand, and even had to have foot surgery and learn how to walk again when I was six/seven.

When I use the stairs, I've been lucky to have only ever missed the last two or three steps, and I always land on my hands and knees. It's always been inconvenient though because people have to go out of their way and switch sides because I can't use the right side of the rail, so whenever possible I use the elevator.

But yeah, I think it's a lot easier going up stairs than down. The steps are more visible going up, which is why you're less likely to have a misstep. I have a hard time using escalators because of the color of them too. Definitely if you can't see well, you're going to have problems going down three flights of pitch black stairs too (which I had to do earlier in the summer).
 
I've noticed on certain types of floors (smooth tile) I have a tendency not to pick my feet up enough tripping every so often. Stairs don't seem to be a problem.

Where is the "neither" option?
 
Hmm... never really thought about it. When going down stairs, I'm far more careful than going up. If I do mess up going up stairs, it's because I'm attempting to do two steps at a time. However, when I'm rushing to go downstairs (very quick steps), I never mess up; it's when I'm slower that I mess up. I always hold the handrails, just in case.

And of course, this whole thing is when I'm sober. I stumble over stairs when under the influence; I've got cuts and bruises. :eek:
 
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