NeuroTalk Support Groups - Limbo check in 3/12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy T (Post 236106)

Hi all! I saw a physical therapist last week for the difficulty I have with walking, namely, the muscles (or whatever) in my upper leg/hip get extremely strained after a couple blocks of continuous walking. Walking on level ground feels like walking uphill.

This problem has been going on for many years and no one has really taken it seriously until my new family practice doctor referred me to PT.

Surprisingly, the PT could not say why this is happening--apparently it's not some particular syndrome, no obvious cause--although I don't think she did a really thorough evaluation. (She did not look at my scoliosis at all, nor discuss my posture or test my strength thoroughly.)

She found I had weakness with prone leg extension--lifting my legs while lying on my stomach was nearly impossible!--I could barely get them off the table. However, this was a last-minute finding, when I asked her one last time--so there isn't some specific muscle you can identify that is causing this problem?

She really seemed pretty disengaged, and wasn't interested in looking at the orthopedist's report or spine MRI reports. No speculation at all on why this is happening.

She gave me some exercises and suggested using walking sticks. I'll see if that helps.

I really, really would like to get back to walking FAST and easily like I did years ago (and this is not a case of deconditioning, I'm sure, because the problem began when I was still walking regularly). Walking continuously is now an uncomfortable chore with heavy, strained legs. My regular neighborhood walk used to be a breeze, a pleasant experience. No more.

Nancy T.

Sometimes PTs can fgure these things out for you, sometimes neuros have some ideas, and sometimes not. Since you haven't gotten answers from these docs yet, you may want to ask for a referral to a pain clinic.

I know, you did not mentionm pain. But they are really good with all matters of the spine - where any sx related may come from. Even if there is only a minor ache and loss of strength, go in and let them know about that. They are specialists in that area.

They will know what to do for you from there - my clinic even has its own PT, designed around the pain docs assesment of where the sx is coming from, to insure there is no further damage.

And since you aloread know you have scoliosis, this could be the problem. I'm sure a good one will know what the deal is.

One other thing... just because your other docs aren't handling or can't handle this thing, doesn't mean they're not good docs, it just means this may be outside their realm.