MS Is Affecting My Knot-Tying Abilities

Many of you know of my former career as a chef. That I’m now working on yet another cookery book (due out in August 2026) is a testament to the fact that it’s not a profession I’ve fully let go of.

What you may not know is that I spent nearly seven years as a sailor in the U.S. Coast Guard before making the career shift.

I was a navigator, but everyone has to learn the basics of seamanship if you’re going to sea. I was pretty good with a line (rope) and even won a Marlinspike Award for my knot tying in basic training. That little nugget is the crux of this post.

I’ve noted that my formerly award-winning knot tying has let me down, and I can only think to blame multiple sclerosis (MS).

Why Is My Boot Always Coming Untied?

I now wear above-the-ankle boots most of the time to help with my drop foot. It’s only the left foot that drops, but I’d look pretty silly walking around with one boot and one loafer, don’t you think?

I’ve been noticing that my right boot is coming untied several times each day.

I’m always having to stop and retie the damned thing, though depending on where in my world I happen to be, it’s not always an easy task to find somewhere safe enough to stop for the 15 to 20 minutes it seems to take for me to get it retied. And it’s always the right side.

The left side of my body has always — since my diagnosis in April 2001 — been my most affected and weakest side. I first wondered if that might be related to my unknotting shoestrings.

But there’s more …

Except When It Won’t Come Untied!

The bootlaces may come untied of their own volition. However, when I go to take my boots off, my laces (again, on just that right boot) become the granniest of granny knots when I pull a bitter end to release them.

On my left boot, I pull and the ties loosen like we all know they should. Shift to the right appendage and the whole thing tightens into a snake’s nest of laces. And because they’re boots, I can’t just slip them off to untie them.

I’m stuck for a good long while, with one hand flapping about, only 30 percent useful when it comes to fine-motor skills, trying to do what once took moments.

My Apron Strings Are Also a Problem

I have a similar problem with apron strings.

If I tie my apron around the front of me, I can untie it with no trouble. If, however, the strings are a bit too short to wrap around my more-than-ample middle, I tie them behind my back. No problem, until I pull an end to release the knot.

Now I’m stuck with a tight ball of gnarled fabric that I can’t even see to untie!

Something to Talk to My Neurologist About

But why?

Is it that my hands aren’t tying the knots correctly? Is it that the signals going to my hands or back up to my brain are being mucked up by demyelination?

I’d chalk it up to normal aging, but that it only happens on my right side or when I can’t see myself tying makes me wonder if that’s really the case.

That my last MRI from March 2024 showed 10 new lesions makes me think that MS disease activity increase may be the culprit, but we all know how difficult it is to pinpoint a particular MS symptom to a specific lesion. I just don’t know.

I suppose it’s not enough of an issue to make a special appointment with my neurologist, but it’s surely something I will bring up at my next scheduled appointment. Something I suppose I should think about making, now that I mention it.

Wishing you and your family the best of health.

Cheers,

Trevis