Leg weakness.

Pain & Rehab Forum [Moderated]
1

Over a year ago, I was told I had stenosis of the spine and bulging disks which resulted in sciatica. The neurologist I saw thought the stenosis was mild and disagreed with the findings, suggesting that I probably turned the wrong way and hence, the sciatica. I suffered unbearable pain for three months and went to PT, but those sessions were short and lengthy. My mother going into hospice care forced me to cancel continuing with physical therapy and since then I’ve been pain free. I developed bursitis of the hip and it created another problem for which I got an injection, but I haven’t had a reoccurrence of either issue since, yet my left leg has continued to tingle around the knee and ankle, and I have leg weakness. I notice this more at night and use a forearm crutch in the home at times. Yesterday I used an ankle weight to build my strength. I have zero pain, and no trouble sleeping. My leg doesn’t bother me at all in bed. My job requires a lot of sitting although sometimes I stand at my desk. I find this difficultly walking frustrating. Is this typical with life post sciatica? Should I take up Tai Chi to build my leg strength? I’m 54 and I used to exercise more frequently than I do now. Since the sciatica, I haven’t resumed my exercises the way I should, and I notice even walking during the day can sometimes be a chore. I’d appreciate any feedback, thank you.

2

Here are some foods for building strong bones and muscles. It will also help to cure the leg weakness.

  1. Yogurt. Most yogurts are fortified with vitamin D, and depending on the brand, you could get 30 percent of your daily calcium intake from yogurt.
  2. Milk. Though it’s a staple in kids’ diets, many adults don’t drink milk.
  3. Salmon and Tuna.
  4. Spinach.
  5. Fortified foods.
3

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about this issue you’re experiencing. The syndrome of sciatica can often have ups and downs, with intermittent episodes of things like pain and numbness/tingling.

Tai chi would be great, although there are lots of forms of exercise that can be done to help improve your function and general health. We would recommend participating in regular aerobic activity and strength-focused exercise every week, and have a lot of content on how to go about this.

While you say that you do not have pain at the moment, the principles in this article may be helpful: Pain in Training: What To Do?

Beyond that – we also have a podcast on back pain (including the topic of sciatica), and further individualized advice and guidance would be available through a consultation with our team of rehab professionals. You can submit an inquiry here.