People who experience weakness in their legs, arms and ankles should make an appointment with their GP. It comes as Eric Dane passed away on Thursday at the age of 53.

The actor, best known for his role as Doctor Mark Sloan, nicknamed McSteamy in Grey's Anatomy,was diagnosed with ALS, the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND), in April of last year. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

The Mayo Clinic notes that "ALScauses loss of muscle control. The disease gets worse over time." With this in mind, people are being urged to learn the signs and symptoms to look out for, and not to brush them off as normal.

• Nurse says people always say the same three things before they die


• Easily missed signs of MND/ALS to watch for after death of Eric Dane

What are the symptoms of ALS?

These vary from person to person, and symptoms depend on which nerve cells are affected. Often, early warning signs indicate muscle weakness that spreads and worsens over time.

Symptoms might include:

• Weakness in the legs, feet or ankles


• Trouble walking or doing usual daily activities


• Tripping and falling


• Hand weakness or clumsiness


• Slurred speech or trouble swallowing


• Weakness associated with muscle cramps and twitching in the arms, shoulders and tongue


• Untimely crying, laughing or yawning


• Thinking or behavioural changes

According to Stanford Health Care, "ALS doesn't cause numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling."

ALS in your legs, feet and ankles - what does it feel like?

Weakness in the legs, feet or ankles is a key sign, but it is one that many of us could brush off as 'normal' or 'getting older'.

With this condition, you may notice you are having a hard time gripping things, or you may start to drop things more often. As well as this, someone with ankle weakness may trip and fall more often, the NHS explains.

It adds: "You may find climbing stairs difficult, you may trip over a lot, and you may find it hard to lift or move your foot (foot drop)."

Experts at the Mayo Clinic say that the condition commonly begins in the hands, feet, arms, or legs before gradually spreading to other areas of the body.

As more nerve cells deteriorate, the muscles become increasingly weak. Over time, this can interfere with chewing, swallowing, speaking, and eventually breathing.

Pain is typically absent in the early stages and is uncommon even as the disease progresses. ALS generally does not impair bladder control or affect the senses, such as taste, smell, touch, or hearing.