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Physical therapist shares theory about why Donald Trump taps his leg when he walks
In the days since a video of President Donald Trump slapping the side of his leg went viral, further speculation about his health has surfaced.
After another image of the 80-year-old President circulated on social media earlier this week, in which he was spotted with heavy bruising up his bare forearm at the LIV Golf New York tournament in New Jersey, X influencer Molly Ploofkins asked: "Why is he always slapping his side now?"
She posed the question in a post sharing footage of the president patting his hip repeatedly as he walked across an airport tarmac.
Hundreds of people offered theories on why Trump was hitting his leg
As all posts relating to the President’s health do, the statement sparked hundreds of replies speculating about Trump’s growing list of ailments.
Offering one theory, a person wrote: "It's a physical therapy technique." Elaborating on their claim, the X user shared a screenshot of a search result which said therapists sometimes have patients tap the side of their leg while walking to break muscle tension patterns "caused by neurological issues like a stroke, brain injury, or Parkinson's disease."
In response, another person suggested that repetitive leg slapping in elderly people is usually encouraged to ease muscle discomfort, as it could be "a symptom of an underlying neurological condition, or a behavioral manifestation of cognitive decline."
Of course, this is all currently speculation as no official diagnoses have been confirmed by the President or his team.
The clip went viral following images from August's LIV Golf New York tournament at his Trump National Bedminster course surfacing, where the President was seen with Band-Aids wrapped around two fingers of his right hand and bruises and scrapes covering his forearms.
Trump and his staff have long combated claims he is in poor health
Throughout the last few years, the White House has offered a variety of explanations for Trump’s frequent bruising.
Former Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously told The Daily Beast: "President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history."
The President himself has often blamed aspirin, which he takes daily to thin his blood after being diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency in July 2025.
However, it is well known that doctors have long speculated that Trump could be suffering cognitive decline.
Unsurprisingly, he has continually denied all claims that his mental and physical capabilities are declining and even boasted about “acing” cognitive tests.
In a past statement, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump was "the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history."