I have a question. I think I have RSD, rather than PN. What is guarding? Is it where you want to protect the area feeling pain? I have this in my left foot and ankle. don't want to wear shoes or socks, shave my leg or touch it. I have not had diagnosis. doc said I can't have surgery to correct my ankle because I have something going on in this area. surgery was discouraged. am I suppose to keep moving this foot, using it, shaving and all the rest even when it hurts? Sometimes I just want to sit still. Walking hurts. What will doc want to do for diagnosis? Also have ganglion cyst on ankle, Had two others removed that triggered all this. Structure of ankle is bad, torn tendons, achilles, colapsed ankle basically I cannot get repaired. I am miserable with this. ginnie

Wow, Ginnie - it seems like you have a complicated situation. I know nothing about your other issues and what I know about RSD/CRPS is limited to what I have learned in the past 8 months dealing with my daughter, so please just take this as one perspective.

The most common recommendation we have received for treating RSD/CRPS for my 13 y/o is to move her leg as much as possible and to work on desensitizing it. This has been done by both PT exercises and by maintaining as many activities of daily living as possible.

Since you are not sure what your diagnosis is and have other issues going on, I would certainly get clarification on the dx and also whether or not you need to take any of the other issues into account when deciding what activities you should do. Best wishes to you!

Thank you both for the information. I really appreciate at least knowing that others do this guarding. I did start the RSD in the left ankle. The condition of the ankle itself is not favorable to good mobility to start with. I go in on the 17th to try and get DX and more information from my doc. Thank you again. ginnie