Conditions
Smooth movement takes teamwork between the brain, the cerebellum, the spinal cord, and the nerves and muscles. When part of that system is off, movement can become shaky, jerky, uncoordinated, or unwanted. This page covers tremor, dystonia, ataxia, myoclonus, restless legs, and gait problems, based on neutral medical sources, and explains where our care fits. It is general information, not a diagnosis.
Call 911 or go to an emergency department if movement, balance, speech, or coordination problems start suddenly, since they may signal a stroke (Mayo Clinic, September 2026). New movement problems should be checked by your doctor. Movement disorders have many causes, and some, such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, and brain injury, need medical diagnosis and treatment.
A tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic shaking, most often in the hands. Mayo Clinic describes essential tremor as shaking that develops gradually, is often more noticeable on one side, worsens with movement such as drinking from a glass, and can affect the head and voice. About half of people with essential tremor have an altered gene. Emotional stress, fatigue, caffeine, and extreme temperatures can make it worse. Mayo says essential tremor appears mainly during hand use, while Parkinson's tremor is most noticeable at rest, and that Parkinson's also brings slowed movement and stooped posture (Mayo Clinic, March 2025). A medical evaluation helps tell these apart.
Mayo Clinic describes dystonia as a movement disorder in which muscles contract involuntarily, causing repetitive twisting or other movements. It can affect one body area, such as the neck, eyelids, jaw, voice box, or hand, or the whole body. Task-specific forms appear only during activities such as handwriting. Symptoms often worsen with stress, fatigue, or anxiety. The exact cause is unknown. It may involve altered signaling between nerve cells in several brain regions, some forms run in families, and it can be a symptom of other conditions such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, or brain injury (Mayo Clinic, January 2025). Mayo advises seeing a healthcare provider for muscle contractions you cannot control.
Mayo Clinic describes ataxia as impaired muscle control and coordination that leads to clumsy movement. It can affect walking and balance, hand coordination, speech, swallowing, and eye movements. It is caused by damage to the cerebellum or its connections. Causes can be hereditary, or acquired from stroke, multiple sclerosis, infections, head injury, long-term heavy alcohol use, some medicines, and vitamin imbalances. Sometimes no cause is found. Mayo advises prompt care if you lose balance or coordination or have trouble walking, speaking, or swallowing, and emergency care if symptoms start suddenly (Mayo Clinic, September 2026).
Mayo Clinic describes myoclonus as sudden, brief, involuntary jerks or spasms. Some are normal, such as hiccups and the twitch you feel as you fall asleep. Others occur on their own, as part of epilepsy, or as a result of another condition such as head or spinal cord injury, infection, kidney or liver failure, medication reactions, or nervous system disorders. Mayo advises seeing a provider if the jerks become frequent and persistent (Mayo Clinic, August 2026).
Mayo Clinic describes restless legs syndrome as a strong urge to move the legs, often with crawling, creeping, pulling, or aching sensations, that begins or worsens at rest, mostly in the evening and night, and eases with movement. Often no cause is known, but researchers suspect an imbalance of dopamine. Low iron can cause or worsen it, and it is linked to conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, kidney failure, and pregnancy. Mayo advises talking with a provider, since it can disrupt sleep and affect daily life (Mayo Clinic, June 2026). A medical provider can check iron levels.
A gait disorder is a change in how you walk: unsteady, slow, shuffling, wide-based, or hesitant. Walking uses the brain, cerebellum, nerves, muscles, joints, and balance systems, so a change can have many causes. Mayo Clinic lists unsteady or wide-stance walking among the signs of ataxia. Any new change in walking, or a fall, is worth a medical evaluation. Our Vertigo & Balance page covers dizziness and balance problems from the inner ear and neck.
Dr. Wright is a Doctor of Chiropractic with advanced training in functional neurology. These conditions need a medical diagnosis first. As part of an evaluation we look at coordination, eye movements, balance, and how the nervous system is working, as described on our Neurological Exam & Evaluation page. Where it fits, care is built around coordination and balance exercises designed to challenge the systems involved, alongside medical care.
Our care is meant to be complementary to your medical care.
No. Essential tremor is more common, according to Mayo Clinic's description, and shows up mainly during movement. A medical evaluation helps tell them apart.
Dystonia causes sustained muscle contractions and twisting postures. Tics are sudden, brief movements or sounds. A doctor can tell them apart.
Damage to the cerebellum or its connections. Causes include stroke, MS, infection, head injury, alcohol, medicines, vitamin problems, and inherited conditions.
Yes, Mayo Clinic says low iron levels can cause or worsen it. Ask your doctor about testing.
No. Many of these conditions have no cure. We offer evaluation and exercise-based support alongside your medical care.
Neurodevelopment: tics and coordination in children.
Next steps
If movement or coordination changes are worrying you,