Sciatic nerve palsy and Foot drop

[Kiwi]

Rachel,
Great news, so happy for you that you've the certainty that it will regenerate. I know what you mean about patience, it's something I struggle with too. At least you know that it'll be slightly better everyday! We have a hedge that grows at 1mm per day - I seem to be forever trimming it  ;)
Make sure you let Hugh know what the probable cause was. He should know & provide some feedback. Not that this will change your predicament, but he'll be informed for the future.
Buy that lotto ticket mate.
Keep us posted.
Simon

[aries]

Hi all

A pre-Xmas update! Now coming up 7 weeks post -op

The hip is doing really well. Started some serious massage to break down scar tissue and adhesions. Doing a wee bit on the spin bike but have been hampered by work commitments really.

The foot drop is a fact of life and for 85% of the day, it is managed by the painkillers. The bungy for my sneakers are a major PITA cos they hurt my feet even though they make walking easier. The brace is okay though.

In rehab, we have been retraining the brain so walking backwards and lots of balancing on wobble boards and bosu balls and squats so slowly, I will get there and hopefully a few more mm of nerve has regenerated!!

I hope everyone has a good Xmas. Over here in NZ, it is Summer and the country shuts down for a few weeks while we all have a Christmas bbq and then go somewhere warm for a break.

Rachel

[hernanu]

Have a great Christmas, Rachel. I love the attitude and your progress. The gradual regeneration of that nerve will let you take advantage more and more of the hip.

I love the balancing stuff, it's fun and really works those stabilizers; I've added juggling to it, to make it more interesting. I think it also makes me more attractive to the ladies, although bringing all of those props to parties is a bit daunting   ::).

[aries]

 ;D to the juggling... there are other party tricks which may hold more attraction for the ladies I hate to say but you keep on practicing.

I find it hard enough to close my eyes when I balance to even think about juggling!

I sat on the spin bike for 30 minutes today and was surprised/dismayed to see how little control my floppy foot has cos the ankle doesn't work properly. Might have to stay off the road a bit longer!

[hernanu]

You'll get there Rachel, 30 minutes sounds good, though - I think the exercise may stimulate the nerve to grow - never know what those little suckers like.

[aries]

Hi all

Well, Xmas and Summer holidays here has meant a very haphazard rehab programme so hoping to get a tighter ship going from now on. Will make up my rehab plan tonight

It is haphazard because I have all sorts of exercises and stretches and things to do and I am not being consistent enough.

But home again and back to work next week so can get into my usual routine.

I still have no movement in my foot but it is way too early to expect anything at this stage according to the neurophysiologist so just waiting. I find that on a bike, I need my 'dictus' on the bike shoe to try and give some stability to my ankle which is a useless thing at present.
I wore heels the other day and twisted my ankle quickly even though the heels felt good for the drop foot. I can't skip (too scared of tripping on the dropped foot and then falling and fracturing the hip) but have started some modified crossfit workouts

Still going to rehab once a week as well.

The good news is that a combination of time and naturopathic treatments plus traditional Acupuncture is that I am fully off tramadol (2 weeks ago) and went down to  6 gabapentin last week and just yesterday, started on the 5 gabapentin. So slowly reducing nerve medication which is great.

Now, just need to get the flab off that has accumulated in the last 3 months and get my butt moving more (plus eating less would help  ;D) I figure that I could exercise intensely before the operation and survive so I need to get back to that and just modify for the foot.

[hernanu]

Rachel, sounds like you've got the right plans. Good progress on the rehab and working out. Glad that the acupuncture and naturopathic treatments helped you out.

[ScubaDuck]

It sounds like your moving in the right direction.  You must be diligent with your exercises!  Find your inner drill sargent!  Remember one of the fundamental laws of physics "Bodies at rest tend to stay at rest.  Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion."

Best wishes.

Dan

[Kiwi]

Rachel - Sounds like you had a good Xmas break!! Is it possible to do any pool work with your foot? I'm finding it really useful... aqua jogging with the oldies! I swim as well, but find any exercise you can do in the water really useful. Sounds lke you're getting back on track. Routines & patience!!

Dan - I like your fundamental laws of physics! I'll remember that... not that you stay motionless for long with 3 young kids!

[aries]

Totally agree on Newton's first law of physics! I am definitely exercising- lots down at my local crossfit gym such as boxing and hundreds of kettlebell exercises- just not great on stretching and doing the specific rehab. However, have started using my 20kg daughter and 30kg son as 'barbell's' across my pelvis while I do my bridges.

Being a teacher, I have a table of all days of the weeks with specific stretches and glute exercises and it is laminated so I can tick off each day which rehab exercises I do. My trouble is I don't have time to watch tv which would be good stretching time- 2 young kids, the gym and preparing classes eats into my rest time but as you say "drill sargeant" is in action now! Laminated plan and all... I can be a little OCD at times ;)

I do need to go to the pool and join the oldies in the aqua jogging pool- I just wish the kids were a little more independent so I could do it while they swam. I hate swimming but as I am considering doing the swimming part of the ironman next year as well as the cycling, I may have to improve on that! I just can't think of anything worse than going up and down the pool for an hour. But then, that is probably why I do crossfit- always varied!

[Kiwi]

Rachel
Sounds like you're on top of your game. You're doing bloody well to do those exercises - especially with your foot issue. Using the kids whilst doing the bridges - I like it! My PT is pretty conservative (which I don't mind) so I'm steadily building up. Hip flexor ROM is still rubbish (knee toward chest lying down) but slowly improving.
I've never really been one to visit the pool either, except with the kids. I go at night after work (once kids are in bed) as the pool's open until 9pm or in the weekend for an hour or so. Sometimes I go with the whole family - there's a great kids pool next to the main pool & my wife looks after the kids then I join them after exercise. I know it's difficult juggling work, family life & exercising - but the muscles absolutely love being in the water. Seems to loosen/relax them after doing other exercise  (out of pool) and you can also work so many different muscles in the pool.
Did you ever get Hugh's thoughts on the diagnosis of the nerve damage - i.e. either ischemia during the operation or some exuberant twisting of my leg during the operation?
Keep up the good work.

[aries]

Just checking in really.

Still have no movement of my ankle but my toes are wriggling a little. I have sprained my ankle 3x at the gym because  of my lack of control but love the Chinese acupuncture

Am now at 5months and a week. Yesterday I ran (loose term with my foot paralysis  :)) I did 400m 3x for my crossfit workout.

However, I am so sore at the back of my hip today which scares the hell out of me. I am hoping it is just new muscle work and not bad for the hip. When I first did double unders about 3 weeks ago, I was sore for the rest of the day but now I find I can do them. But this is the next day and it hurts lots. Buggar buggar buggar. I am hoping it will come right. When I had the OA, it was the front of the hip that hurt whereas this is the back and deep.

I have been doing tonnes of rehab so just crossing fingers it is muscular as from what I read on this site, lots of people get back running earlier than me. I just want to run for crossfit. I don't intend to run again like I used to. Of course, with my foot drop, I run a bit funny but in some ways, yesterday I felt like it helped me run better as it kept me on my forefoot rather than heel striking too much.....

what has sobered me today is that it feels like pain before the operation and I have so enjoyed being painfree in my hip these last 5 months!

[hernanu]

Hi Rachel, really good to hear from you. I'm glad you're getting toe movement, and that you are so active.

You ran, I couldn't run until about eight months went by, tried a couple of times but my hip kicked my behind afterwards. You also are accommodating your healing ankle, so your muscles are working a little bit harder. I'd bet you're going to be running in due time, probably much better than I can. I think you'll come good all right.

Check in with the doc and tell him your concerns. I think it's just muscular, but why fret? Let them know and clear it up. You've done so well so far with this obstacle, sounds to me like it is attenuating and regenerating. Really impressed with what you're doing so far.

[hernanu]

Hi Rachel, how is the recovery going?

[obxpelican]

Rachel,

This does happen with hip surgery but the stories that I've read were mostly positive with the time period of a year or two,  most people do recover with some numbness. 



Chuck

Hi all

13 days post op now and feeling pretty down as I research the internet (what a dangerous thing to do). The prognosis doesn't seem good - though admittedly people don't seem to come back and say 'hey it all came right in x months'. So I am left wondering if I will ever drive again (and independence is really important to me) and have I swapped years of hip pain for years of nerve pain- which could be judged as worse. I still am not on top of the pain so feeling sorry for myself.

I am trying to get onto some nerve conduction tests to see where the nerve is injured and what the prognosis may be.

But if anyone comes along and can offer some positive recovery stories , I would love to hear it!

Rachel

[Kiwi]

Hi Rachel
Give Hugh a call for peace of mind. I doubt the device has moved - I ran at about 10 days during an earthquake and no issues apart from extra pain for a couple of days. Still good to hear it from the Doc.
Sorry to hear about your sprained ankle - be careful, your recovery has extra challenges but you sound like you have an amazing base fitness to help you along.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
Simon

[aries]

Hi all

I have been awol a while as I couldn't get onto this site but thought I would update now that I am nearly 14 months on from my BHR

My hip is fantastic. I still have foot drop and that is an absolute PITA for a female as it really restricts my summer shoe wearing! At least in Winter I could hide my brace in long black boots!

I still have hope that I will regain movement of my foot. I have some 'lift' in my toes and I feel some 'lightness' when I try to lift my foot but my tibialis anterior has atrophied significantly and there is little I can do to strengthen it without nerve input so that feels like a chicken and egg scenario.

I have spent the year doing a lot of massage and acupuncture and I was able to wean myself off all pain medication. I only have occasional bouts of pain now despite some excruciating pain in the first couple of months.

I am exercising 6 days a week- mainly crossfit and boxing classes. I can box jump onto 16inch box now and run a few km. I find if I go for a run longer than 5km, my hip aches a bit and I panic so I tend to keep it to the crossfit style.

I am still thrilled with the lack of pain in my hip but I do find myself quite self conscious about the foot and it does stop me doing some things. I have stopped spraining my ankle - it has strengthened but there are some movements I still can't do with it. I haven't been on my bikes much and I need to but when I did, it felt quite lopsided so need to work on that.

But that is an update and hopefully I will still be able to update with success in my foot moving!!

Rachel

[hernanu]

Rachel! It's good to hear from you. I was wondering how it was going.

I'm glad that you're getting function back on the dropped foot, I know nerve damage takes a while for your body to repair.

It's great news that you're not in need of the pain meds, I know you were in a lot of pain at the start.

16 inches on a jump? very good. The work you're putting in sounds like it's paying off, particularly in cutting down ankle sprains. I admire your spirit and hope the nerve damage is fully repaired soon. Glad the hip is doing so well.

[Kiwi]

Hi Rachel - great to hear from you ...again!
Sounds like your hip is doing really well - exercising 6 days a week - awesome!! I wish I could manage that! Also being off the meds I found was good mentally - don't miss the side effects that they have. Foot drop sounds like it's slowly getting better. The nerves were always going to take some time, but a little progress is better than none.
Great work.
Kiwi

[Tian]

Hi Rachel - I'm a new BHR recip (3 weeks post op) and have foot drop/shooting pains as well.  Curious if now there has been anymore developments with yours?  Also, my doc told me that he could to do a tendon transfer in the future which would give me back the lift.

Thanks, Tian