Ankle sprain healed incorrectly and femoral nerve damage

by Jessica
(Detroit, MI United States)

Ankle sprain healed incorrectly and femoral nerve damage; also patella tracking disorder are probably all connected.


I badly sprained my ankle years ago. I believe it did not heal correctly, and my right foot seems to naturally point outward when walking.

I was given a walking boot and was not told how to use it. So now I realize that it stuck out to the right when I walked and when sitting or sleeping the weight of it pulled my foot down to the right. I was not told to walk heal to toe so I gimped around the best I could.

Also I believe I have femoral nerve damage, my right thigh has been numb for years among other things (tingly, electric feeling, pain, but mostly complete numbness). My ilotibial tendon is tight I think because I can feel it through my leg and sometimes where it connects to my hip.

So I believe all these go together in what began to cause my knee to have a tracking disorder. I was walking at work and it felt like my knee cap popped out. I tried to finish work, waitressing, but it kept happening so I had to stop walking and go home. My knee was swollen for a few days and ever since there are occasions when it either happens again or feels like its going to happen (none as painful as the original time). Also if this matters it happened when I was walking down a slight decline and it happened as my right leg straitened and my right foot hit the floor to step forward.

My question is do you think this is all related and can you possibly explain in detail why incorrect gait and femoral nerve dysfunction can cause patellar tracking disorder. I am making a presentation on PTD for class and I am finding there is not much information out there except for the basics.

I want to know the causes such as weak muscles and tight tendons and specifically which ones and what are the possible causes. If you can answer or even point me toward some in depth literature I would greatly appreciate it.




Hello Jessica,
Let's start with three little tests.

1. Lie on your back and pull your knee to the chest, towards the opposite shoulder, make a circle and then drop your knee into the lotus position. Compare with the other hip.

2. Using a pin, prick the outer thigh and compare sides.

3. Starting at the ASIS with a little oil on your thumb, run through the groin, lightening up as you cross the femoral nerve and artery and down the inner thigh. Again compare with the other side.

Let me know.

Dr Barrie Lewis DC
 

 



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