I fx the distal fibula when sprained my ankle . I was walking the dogs at night, stepped on a big rock, my foot bent back, then rolled over to the lateral side, I felt the fibula stretch by the knee. At the end of the lateral foot roll over after the pop, I felt a fourth thing, a sharp pain than ran under my foot through the arch. I brushed it off and walked home. It hurt a lot at the distal fibula and my range of motion in dorsiflexion was greatly enhanced, but plantarflexion was non existent. The next day it swelled up and my leg color was dusky. After hopping for a few days I went to Dr. and got non displaced fx and mild sprain dx, was given a cam boot that went up to my knee, and was told to come back in 4 weeks. After 2 weeks my medial knee started to hurt, after 3, discontinued boot because had an incident where I picked up my 1yr old cousin an felt sharp daggers radiate to med knee. Couldn't extend leg to the back or would get severe nerve pains. Had to keep torso tilted forward. It was severe for a week. Finally enough complaining got me a visit to neurologist. I had already figured out it was femoral nerve dysfunction, and by then my knee and medial ankle were completely numb. He prescribed Nortriptyline, that diminished the pain but felt bad in my brain and also caused rapid heartbeat, I stopped taking it and my head starting to feel better, pains there, but not severe.
Physical therapy was not helpful due pain. My knee is weak, medial quad atrophied, continue to have boring pain in medial ankle. Awaiting results of MRI of Lumbar and pelvis. My ankle finally started to feel improvement after 8 weeks, except for the medial side, it's tingly and feels like a thin band getting overstretched when I stand on it, or do the ankle exercises.
I believe I had a femoral nerve stretch injury because nerve was tethered at knee when I straightened up. Definitely feels psoas related as fetal position alleviates pain. I can flex, externally rotate, basically do all ROM at hip, except extension. Any insights?
Holy cow. How can there be so many of us and no one has an answer. I, too, have the same status: avid snow skier all mountains west is Mississippi, water skied since I was 5, ice skate, roller skate, scuba, swim, softball fo 13 years. I'm now 64 and have gotten progressively weak over past 4 years in spite of twice weekly PT and workouts at gymn. I now walk with a cane. Will undergo CT scan to look for any soft tissue tumers. Have seen orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, pain management doctors. No relief or diagnosis. And the power of prayer is daily. I need this fixed.
greenielk, Try dorsiflexion exercises to strengthen your anterior tibialis muscle. Find it on youtube. They have good vids. Thanks!
I do get a tremor...like a fatigued muscle tremor (for lack of a better description). I described it to a doctor as the kind of tremor you get when you first wake up and take that first big deep stretch. Sometimes you shake a little...well I get that in my leg. Don't know if this is what your friend is experiencing.
One other thing. I also have a bit of foot drop. I do not have a rolling gait on that side. My foot tends to slap down when walking. This is not true foot drop...as my two emgs say I have no nerve damage. This is being attributed to weakness.
greenielk, I just want to run something by you. When this woman lays on her back and I raise her more involved leg, when she reaches a certain point on lowering it she feels a kind of vibration that runs down her leg. Do you get anything like that? Thanks!
You're definitely not alone. There are tests the chiro probably did to specify if it was indeed psoas. I gave this woman some psoas work and stretching. I sent her a "kneeling lunge" video to stretch her psoas. I haven't heard from her about that yer, but this is her reaction to the neuromuscular massage therapy I did on her:
I felt really good after the treatment. Much less pain that evening and next day. I would even say that the pain on the side of my hip is less even now. Pain / stability upon standing and walking is still the same. Aching pain around the knees is the same evry time I walk.
I will follow up with an email detailing the timeline, tests, etc.
I am looking forward to the session next Thursday morning.
Thanks for the tip on sleeping with the pillow between the knees. I will try it. I appreciate your help.
Wow! I thought I was alone in the world! I have to move my leg the same way! I have been seeing a chiropractor-who has diagnosed extreme psoas muscle weakness. She believes this came about from wearing the boot for so long and developing a gait based on wearing that. I am not sure i buy into this and have not seen a whole lot of improvement. (she claims I have been walking unnaturally for 5+ years and therefore it will take time to rebuild muscles--again not sure i am buying all that).
I would love to hear more about your friend and any relief progress she is making.
I should ad this woman has had an MRI, nerve conduction tests, PT and saw an ortho. No one knows what's wrong. She has extreme weakness with hip flexion and actually uses her hands to move her leg and has wobbly gait with pain in upper quads/TFL area. She had a fall before all of this, and wore a boot.
I know someone else who has a similar condition and I'm looking for answers if anyone can help. Thanks!