Not all of us are blessed with coordination, grace, or elegance. In fact, we all have our clumsy moments here and there. Most of the time, it happens due to distraction or lack of sleep, which is completely normal. However, persistent or worsening clumsiness can seriously start interfering with everyday life and even be the root cause of something more concerning.
This man recently shared his struggles and worries about living with a clumsy girlfriend. He recalls how she constantly bumps into things and breaks almost anything she touches, which has cost a ton of money for both of them. Not knowing how to deal with all of it, her partner laid out the situation online, hoping to get some unbiased insights from fellow netizens.
Persistent clumsiness can really start interfering with everyday life
Image credits: musicbeats88 (not the actual photo)
Like it happened to this man, whose girlfriend's clumsiness started seriously stressing him out
Image credits: musicbeats88 (not the actual photo)
Image credits: musicbeats88
About 5-6% of children have dyspraxia, which is a common cause of clumsiness
Clumsiness starts in our brain. Every time we make a move, sensory receptors (found in eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin, and internal organs) gather information about our environment and send messages about our body’s position and actions to the brain using the nervous system. The constant loop of information helps the brain to coordinate our movements. This is how our body knows how to avoid an obstacle or to walk carefully on a slippery surface.
When there’s a miscommunication between the brain, body, and environment, a person may slip, trip, drop objects, spill drinks, or bump into things. There are many reasons why this can happen. The most common ones include having a poor night’s sleep or being distracted. Even one night of poor sleep can make a person tired and a little bit off balance and clumsy. Stress and anxiety are other frequent causes of clumsiness, as they affect the nervous system and can cause shaking of the hands or a different view of your surroundings. This often leads to bumping into things or dropping them.
Clumsiness can also be increased by deficiencies in vitamins like B12 and minerals, such as magnesium. It’s also possible that a lack of coordination and balance is a side effect of certain medicines or simply a part of the aging process or pregnancy. For some, clumsiness is just a part of their DNA. “If your parents were clumsy, you’ve got a better chance that you’re going to be clumsy,” said Gary Wilkerson, EdD, ATC, a neuromechanics researcher and professor.
In fact, clumsiness is more common than we may realize. About 5-6% of children have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), which is a common cause of lack of coordination. Many people with DCD experience minor motor difficulties that can persist into adolescence and adulthood.
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People with occasional clumsiness can improve their coordination
While disorders like DCD can’t be cured, the good news is that people with occasional clumsiness and even medical conditions can improve their coordination. A simple way to do this is to stay active and exercise regularly. “Movement in general strengthens gross motor skills and balance,” explains Lisa Hobson Stoner, certified personal trainer. She suggests that inactive people should start with simple walking, as every simple step requires balance and coordination.
Additionally, Wilkerson recommends practicing mindfulness meditation, which helps tune into feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations and can help boost body awareness and avoid clumsy incidents. Lastly, Hobson Stoner advises stopping thinking about being a clumsy person and starting to challenge yourself. “If we always think of ourselves this way, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,” she said. Replacing usual thoughts with more positive ones, like ‘I’m working on my coordination,’ helps to seek improvement. After that, it doesn’t take long to see the results. “These adaptations can begin within 24 hours of exposure,” Wilkerson says.
However, if there’s a sudden increase in incidents or injuries because of clumsiness that developed over hours or days, medical experts recommend seeking medical advice or help, as these symptoms can signal a serious underlying condition, like stroke, seizures, tumor, etc.
“If you notice persistent clumsiness that interferes with your daily activities or seems to be worsening over time, it’s a good idea to see a doctor,” neuropsychologist Sanam Hafeez said. “If clumsiness is accompanied by other symptoms such as a severe headache, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, confusion, vision changes, dizziness or loss of balance, see a doctor immediately.”
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Some commenters suspected that the GF might be doing all of this intentionally, while others suggested she has some sort of medical condition
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