Left leg chronic daily pain and atrophy

Orthopedist put me in a boot for right Achilles tendinitis. During that period I hurt my left leg, and no one could figure out what was injured. Mri showed fluid in calf area but couldn't see an injury. Had to stay in the boot for 11 weeks just because I couldn't use my left leg well. I never stopped walking though.


Now 1.5 years out, I have been to over 7 foot ankle surgeons around country and everyone just looks at mri and tell me there's nothing they can do, just rehab. I went every single day for one full year and nobody can explain why I can't balance except for a few people but can't seem to fix it. My left foot inverts in and I constantly get muscle pains and hip and knee problems and can't walk worth a crap. Can't go down stairs without rail. I'm only 34 and was very active. And not an uneducated person, I am a dentist.

I have been to UAB, Mayo, Vanderbilt. Every single physician thinks I have als, muscle disorder, etc until all tests check out. I have had 7 Mris over body and 3 emgs and everything is normal. My foot is still inverted in though and they can't understand that my leg atrophy came after that!!!!! So I ask you, can you shed some light. Also can you contact any posters? There was a post from "Jane Ontario Canada" about thigh atrophy that sounds exactly like me. And I would like to find out what she did and has it went away. Thanks DJ

Hello Donnie,
A distressing tale indeed; I understand your frustration.

Am I correct in assuming the reflexes and skin sensation are normal? If you are lying on your back, and the doctor lifted first the right leg, and then the left leg, that the pull in the legs and lower back was the same? If you sit in a chair, and straighten first the right leg, and then the left parallel to the ground, is the pull in the leg the same?

If you bend forwards, backwards, to the side, do you get lower back pain, or leg pain?

Was your left calf at any stage very swollen and the skin tight?

You say you "hurt your left leg". Can you give me more details? How did you hurt it, where was the pain, what relieved and aggravated the pain?

It sounds like you have a weak peroneus muscle, actually there are three of them, motored mainly by the S1 nerve root and the sciatic nerve. You say you have "hip" pain. Could you be more specific please. Just where is the pain? If you bend forwards, is the pull at the back of the left leg the same as the right?

Give me some answers and perhaps we can take this further. Please answer on a regular computer. Google downgrades sites with no so smart cellphone language.

Dr B

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