On this page
How it can feel
- Movements you cannot suppress.
- Postures that lock or twist without permission.
- Walking that becomes unreliable.
- A body that “over-reacts” under fatigue or sensory load.
Day to day
- Planning journeys, work tasks and social plans around unpredictable movement.
- Explaining symptoms that look dramatic but are not acted.
- Balancing activity with recovery so symptoms do not spike.
Understanding this FND symptom
“Functional” here means a problem of function and coordination in motor networks — not a moral judgement. Symptoms are genuine. This overview links to more specific pages for each pattern.
What can help
- Specialist assessment and a shared language for what is happening.
- Physiotherapy / OT designed for functional movement symptoms.
- Education that reduces fear-driven bracing and boom-bust cycles.
- Treating companions such as pain, sleep loss and overload.
This is information, not a treatment plan. Personal care decisions belong with you and your clinicians.
FAQs
Is this one diagnosis or many?
Clinicians may use an umbrella term and then name the main pattern (tremor, dystonia, gait, and so on). What matters is an accurate explanation and a plan.
About this guide & further reading
Written and published by FND Connect. This is general information for people living with FND and those supporting them. It does not diagnose a symptom or replace advice from your clinician.
- Neurosymptoms: Functional movement disorders
- North Bristol NHS Trust: functional neurological symptoms
- Neurosymptoms: when new or different symptoms need reassessment
External resources provide further reading; their inclusion does not mean their authors have reviewed or endorsed this FND Connect guide. Page updated 3 October 2026.
Take this to your next conversation
Note what happens, how it affects your day and what you want to ask. An appointment pack can help you organise that conversation.