Squashed nerve began with external rotation of leg which I was leaning on to too much.

My symptoms are varying types of pain and weakness in my lower back, thigh, calf and foot....present always when upright with a considerable reduction whilst lying down for a while.

I now believe I had/ have a squashed nerve in an externally rotating leg which was for a long time functionally(as opposed to truly) shorter. Not sure how long I was rotating the leg. This was and is not visible but all the forces within muscles wanted to go that way. A physiotherapist, 3 years ago, took a video of me walking. I was astounded to see how much I was leaning into one leg and the positions of my feet were effectively on a slant down towards my right. Sadly, this appointment concluded in having orthotic insoles made for me which made for more pain in my right foot. I maintain that this was trying to change something too soon. I realise now that the only way insoles would have worked is if they had gradually tried to realign me.

Sadly, also, no physio since has ever addressed the cause the same way. Most have tried to treat my foot which does have arthritis but no-one has recognised what has been going on in my back, hip and leg. I think I am a fairly flexible person, to my own detriment, and my body has been able to adapt wrongly until the nerve(s?) became finally trapped.

I have continued to try to exercise but walking is my worst thing and standing...the very things you need to live a normal life. Other exercises can also be bad if I don't get the (unknown) optimal amount. I try to guess at that every day.

I have come to this conclusion because doing daily Pilates for 9 months, despite the effort, has given me a little strength.And as a result of that or the past 5 weeks or so I actually have been trying to hoist up that slanting body whilst walking sometimes...so applying more weight on my left outer foot and leg when I walk or stand. I don't do it all the time but sometimes feel this is what it needs. This is essentially the unaffected leg but I realise that it needs to work harder to allow my right leg to unsquash. As soon as I started doing this these are the changes I noticed:

• My lower right back pain is often better or much less intense
• I feel a pulling open, a sort of stretching out of my inner calf...and more recently the back of my thigh
• More burning leg pain. In the early days I only ever felt pain in my foot and lower back - hence the confusion,

This doesn't mean I am by any means cured of my weak foot, weak leg and sometimes back pain (the latter usually if I sit too long). The worst thing is not being able to walk without my legs and foot becoming exhausted after a very short time of about 20 minutes.Standing is worse. I feel I am trying, when possible to open up a leg which has been squashed down like a concertina(exaggeration of course).

****I am writing this in the hope that someone else might provide insight into what I am experiencing and my fear about the future. I wouldn't wish it on anyone but maybe someone might have a story of hope for my chronic muscle imbalance which has led to nerve impingement and weakness (and damage?)

Thanks for staying with the reading even if you only skip read. (I write too much!!)

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