Unfortunately I have developed Cauda Equina Syndrome from squatting and deadlifting. I’m 35 years old. I’m now 17 days post op. I started walking a little bit a few days after the operation, but then I soon started getting bad leg pain so I am now staying in bed all the time. I have all the symptoms of this condition, like loss of bowel and bladder control, saddle numbness, etc. I have some numbness in my feet.
I’ve gone from an active and healthy husband and dad of two very young boys to feeling like I’m completely broken overnight.
My question is do you have any experience with CES patients and are you able to give any advice on recovery.
I’m sorry to hear about this issue. This is a complex situation and I think that it will take some close, one-on-one work to guide the way through this. First and foremost it sounds like we really need to get you moving again – if you do not have an existing PT plan in place, I would strongly recommend pursuing a consultation with our rehab clinicians here: Contact Us | Barbell Medicine
Thank you for your reply Austin. My doctor has advised that I just rest for this first month, then start PT after that. I will set up a consultation with your rehab guys.
Not to disagree with your doctor, I’m certainly less qualified and I’m unfamiliar with cauda equina syndrome, but if my doctor told me to rest for a month and didn’t follow that up with a detailed explanation of why that recommendation makes sense for my unique circumstances, I’d smile and nod then go do as much physical activity as I can tolerate.
In general a month of severe inactivity seems risky, and counterproductive to rebuilding activity tolerance.
He did say I could try walking around my apartment and while laying in bed I could try moving my feet. I did walk around with crutches during the first week pain free but then my calves started really hurting, so I stayed in bed for a couple of days.
Anyway on Monday I noticed my left foot was swelling. I went to hospital and they found a blood clot high up my leg. It was noted as a possible complication of my surgery. They operated on it today and I will have another operation in a couple of days time. The advice is keep my legs still but try moving my feet. I suppose just moving my feet counts as some kind of physical activity.
I did walk around with crutches during the first week pain free but then my calves started really hurting, so I stayed in bed for a couple of days.
Staying in bed for several days in the aftermath of a surgical procedure is just about the perfect set-up to develop a blood clot in the leg. Even in the face of some discomfort (as you experienced in your calves), movement is important. Staying in bed for days at a time is unwise in the overwhelming majority of scenarios.
I cannot comment on your specific case here to give individualized advice, since I am not your physician and don’t know the medical details behind some of these decisions (such as apparently operating on a blood clot, which is rather unusual), but I would generally not recommend someone “keep their legs still” after this sort of event.