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Disc Prolapse/Foot drop

Posted , 2 users are following.

Glassback
Glassback

Hi,

I'm a new member to this forum.

I've just recovering from a L4/L5 discectomy which I had 5 weeks ago. I also had a S1/L5 discectomy some 12 years ago - not thinking for a second I'd be back on the surgeons table again.

However, this time, just prior to my L4/L5 discectomy I suffered from what I've now been told is called \"foot drop\". I'd never heard of this before and was quite concerned when basically my left foot became floppy and unresponsive.

I've pretty much done everything I've been told to do by the experts ie physio, rest, excercise...... but now been told it's a matter of time if I ever get the full use of my foot again.

I would love to hear from anyone else who currently has this condtion. Or, anyone who has any experiences to share with me.

I look forward to hearing from you. :D

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    hiya, i to am recovering from a discectomyat L5 (2 weeks post op).It looks like you\"ve just given a name to whats wrong with my foot. I to had no sensation to my left leg and foot prior to op that had to be done by emergency.Its really doing my head in because everytime i walk cant feel properly and end up tripping. what physio were you given after, all i got was a few exercises from hospital. oh but to be pain free....... bliss. x
  • Glassback
    Glassback

    Posted

    Hiya,

    Glad too that you're now pain free. But I'm now more concerned about my foot and really surprised that your physio or consultant didn't didn't pick up on your foot problem.

    If I describe mine, as I've had mine diagnosed, you can maybe compare. My foot, prior to surgery, just simply hung if dangling my legs from the bed. I can't lift my foot or scrunch my toes. Therefore, putting on shoes is a no, no.

    Whilst in hospital I was fitted with a leg/foot brace which assists stabilitly when walking but as soon as I take it off my foot is floppy again.

    Whilst I have time on my hands (being off work) have found that the NHS do something called electrocal stimulation but I've had to do all the homework myself and push for it. I'm now just waiting for information to discuss with my GP, as he needs to to refer me. I can't imagine life without gorgeous shoes and need to get my foot working again!

    It seems that anyone I ask about foot-drop doesn't give any recovery rates, if recovery is achievable and how long. They have, up to now, just told me it's a matter of time but if my symptons remain up to approx 6-months then it'll be a permanent thing.

    HELP. Has anyone gone through this and got better!!!!!!!!!

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi,

    I too had all sorts of problems with my foot. Tripping, falling over and when I was walking it hurt when I picked it up, it hurt when I put it down and if I wasn't looking at it I couldn't be sure what position it was in or where it was. Every footstep was planned. I went though a period where at night it felt like it was being squeezed to death, then a period when it would burn like hell. I had a lot of numbness in my leg and it was really weird having this whole pain meets numbness thing going on! Eventually, a lot of my foot went numb too and my toes all locked up. My days of wearing flip flops are well and truly over....just as well we have had no sun then!!! My foot never \"dropped\" completely.

    Now, post two surgeries 8/9 months ago, things are a lot better, I don't trip now. Walking uphill (even a slight gradient) hurts and pulls on my foot. The numbness isn't so noticable during the day now, but my toes are all still locked up. That bothers me a lot, because from what I have read it puts a lot of abnormal pressure on the tiny bones, blood vessels etc etc and could cause more damage. I did ask the Muscleoskeletal Consultant if I could have serious problems further down the line possibly leading to amputation and he said no, but in a patronising, don't be so silly tone, but I wasn't really convinced. I was seeing him for weekly acupuncture. He did say, by way of cheering me up (!!!!) that there was one lady he was seeing for acupuncture who had foot drop and it took about 2 years of acupuncture for her to see significant improvement. For what it's worth my experience has been that whether it was my leg or foot.....it started with pain, but once I moved through burning to numbness, nothing really improved or went back to normal. The good news was that as part of a cycle, or continuum, the pain never came back to an area that had got to the numbness stage. My toes have never gone numb though, they have always hurt!! I have been told by various neurosurgeons that a decompression operation will help pain, but there are no guarantees as to how the person will recover from numbness. Basically, the greater the compression, the more the numbness, the less predictable the recovery.

    Hope this helps!!!

    TFU

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