My injury saga continues...numbish leg

Triathlon Forum
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As some of you may remember I hurt my it band around Jan last year. I have not been able to run properly since. Biking has been good at times, but I haven’t ridden since around Christmas as the last 2-3 times I rode my left leg was feeling quite weak, and seemed unable to put out any decent amount of power, and was also quite sore for some of the time.

Since then, I’ve been getting numb in the lower half of lower leg, kinda feels tingly, almost like someone is tickling it, but not quite. Will also feel really quite weak now and again - I’ve been doing light weights and swimming, have given up on pushing off the wall in swimming as knee goes funny whenever I do it. Almost feels kindof twitchy and on verge of cramp sometimes. Has sometimes cramped quite badly after swimming (toes, feet)

As well as that, my vmo muscle on left leg is noticeably smaller than that on my right. I’ve been given exercises to help strengthen them, but this hasn’t really made any major difference (if indeed it has made any difference at all). I’ve been doing the exercises and stretching (all parts of lower body) pretty regularly…if not every day, then every second day.

At one point I also took the advice of a boarder on here re it band and sat on a tennis ball, moving around a bit…a few days after that (This was back in sept last year), inner hamstring tendons tightened up quite bad, previously I have had an issue with this tendon cramping on the bike, and occasionally they’ll still tighten up…usually stretching helps, but it comes back every now n again. Possible that I did something to a nerve sitting on that frigging tennis ball?

Previously, I have always had an issue on the bike, where if I try to go fairly hard for a sustained period of time, left leg will go numb in lower leg, heel will drop, power will drop.

Was hoping things might clear up if I just completely rested from cycling and running…but they haven’t.

So went back to physio, he has referred me back to sports med dr, with a query of this possibly been neural or something to do with blood flow in my leg (eg restricted illiac artery)…

Appointment is at the end of the month. Have also made another appointment with a guy who is a bit ‘alternative’, a bio orthonomist…so will see how that goes. Am really willing to try anything right now as it’s been over a year with virtually no improvement and if anything the leg has gotten worse at rest!

Anyone else had any issues with nerves etc? I’ve had discussions on here re illiac artery before…am hoping surgery won’t be necessary!

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ps i’m diabetic so am a bit concerned that the numbness etc could be down to that!..has always kindof been there whilst racing hard on the bike over a sustained period.

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I know how it feels(kind of), and understand your frustration. It would be pretty impressive if someone on here could diagnose what is going on without seeing you in person.

Have had a variety of different symptoms myself in a different area of the leg than you. The cause is very hard to pinpoint. But am pretty convinced mine is muscular/tendons.

Also it makes me feel better that it is a variety of different symptoms and your description sound similiar(many symptons)? There are some injuries which can be easilly pinpointed and many of these are ones you don’t want.

Some suggestions are:

-make sure you are well rested before training,
-make sure you are eating a balanced diet and eating throughout the day,
-carry on with the strengthening/stretches given to you by the physio,

  • maybe go and see another physio(I can recommend a guy in Chch.NZ who knows how to treat endurance athletes, super well),
    -possibly change your cycling position/technique a bit so it puts the pressure on different muscle groups,
  • run on trails rather than pavement; don’t run where the road camber has you always putting pressure on the outside leg muscles.
  • try to reduce the stress in your everyday life if you can,
  • when you work out what is going wrong be strong in your decisions/actions to make a change for the better(form new and better habits).

That is just a few ideas to try. Disclaimer is that I am not an expert, but the above is pretty basic advice.

G

www.TriathlonShots.com

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As one of the original posters that probably told you to try the tennis ball, I’ll make another suggestion. Sounds a lot like Sciatic nerve problems. I slipped a disc a few years ago and had what started as minor leg numbness/tingle that started in my left foot and after a while went up to almost knee level. This had nothing to do with the tennis ball as I hadn’t been using it at that point. My issue resolved itself through stretching of the back and other hip stretches to loosen up the muscles and allow the disc to return to normal position/lessen inflammation. If you are having cramping issues when sitting still then there are maybe other issues at work (spinal or nerve impingement). The description of your symptoms with your lower leg sounds like very standard sciatic issue/piriformis issues, none of which are likely to be fixed with a tennis ball…but unlikely to be made worse. BTW-for ITB you are supposed to use the tennis ball on the top of the muscle that attaches to the ITB…the Tensor Fasciae Latae…not necessarily the piriformis or glutes.

There is a condition that I’ve heard of that causes this issue…the illiac artery thing. There’s a good but short thread on it here:

http://biketechreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2432

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Fulla…How did you get on?

I have some remarkably similar symptoms…ITB soreness…some minor patella discomfort that every now and then leads to knee instability and a feeling that runs down my leg that makes it feel like it is operating at 50% efficiency and power…I am currently working on strengthening my VMO as well…

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Hey,

Well had an ultrasound on my arteries in my left leg, and there was nothing noticeably wrong. If I want to investigate things further it’s gonna cost me a fair whack as ACC (in NZ, treatment for injuries can be funded by the government) won’t fund it. So for the moment I’m not investigating the possible iliac artery endofibrosis further…If I do eventually get back into racing tris, and it flares up as an issue again, I may take it further. But for the moment, I have other things I want to spend my money on!

I’m running and was able to run 40 mins ok the other night without too many issues. Three weeks ago after running I was getting really sore through my knee and just above and on the inside, to the extent that it was hurting whenever my feet made impact with the ground. That seems to have subsided now, and I’m currently just working on strengthening my vmo. My legs have felt okish on my last 2 runs, and I am pushing off the wall in swimming again, altho I’m only swimming 1-2 times per week right now. heh.

My itb does feel a lil dodge whilst running at times, but leg hasn’t started collapsing whilst on a run in ages.

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I love this sport, but it creates some major imbalance in our bod’s, hot (Bikram) yoga has saved my ass, *try it, *you’ll love it.

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I have no idea if this is the issue, but I had an L3/L4 disc herniation that followed a somewhat similar pattern. The pain was primarily in the ITB area, then crossed over the knee and went down into my inner calf and foot. I never had any significant back pain, but lots of leg pain and numbness. When I ran or rode, it kind of felt like there was a vise grip right above my knee and my foot would go numb. It took a long time to get diagnosed, although I suppose it would have happened faster if the first neurologist I went to took my odd symptoms seriously and actually read the MRI I had, where it clearly stated L3/L4 herniation. The web page here has a picture of the L3/L4 dermatomes (scroll down to “L4 Radicular Pain”).

Edited to add: I just noticed that your original post was a while ago, and it sounds like things have gotten better since then. So, I suppose, never mind the above.

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Managed to run for an hour the other day with virtually no issues! Woo!

Just started cycling again though (after a 6 month hiatus) and left leg feels decidedly weaker than my right, but still I’m able to ride without pain! Guess I’ll see what happens if I end up racing this summer…got told it will cost me $1000 (MRI?) to have the next tests needed to investigate possible iliac artery endofibrosis - altho ultrasound didn’t detect any significant narrowing of arteries.

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I’m going through the same issues. Spent almost a year tracking this thing down. Issue started off as weekness in the knee, knee and some glute pain then my PT saw that my left thigh was 3-4cm in diameter different. I ended up getting put through all the neuro stuff. I was told everything from a slight bulging disk to MS/ALS (what a f*&$#ing ride). I ended up going back to my regular doc who wanted me to rule out the nerve stuff once and for all. No MS, No ALS but maybe and that’s a big maybe a femoral neuropthy

So with results in hand I went back to the regular doc (sports practioner though). It apparently turns out that while I was getting the nerve tests redone he went to a conference and saw the Illiac issue brought up in a case study that was presented. He did a few quick tests, had me lay on my back and check pulse strength in my ankle while bending my leg. He noticed that while the knee was ~90 degrees to my body the pulse would quickly weaken and if he rotated the leg out he could pretty much stop it. He surmised that if I was either laying down or standing that he could run most tests on me and I would pass. He said that it maybe necessary to have me in a similar position. I don’t know if it really is the case or he was simply guessing as I believe I’m his first case. Perhaps this is the case with the ultra sound?

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fulla, any running you do right now sounds to me like a recipe for new injury. If your leg is as weak as you say, then that weakness will cause a slight change in your gait, perhaps a limp…and this will injure you even if you are otherwise sound.

I can’t speak to your IT Band problem, but I can say that the symptoms you describe are consistent with nerve involvement. I can’t see an IT band injury doing that. So I wonder if you have somehow developed a secondary issue, or if the IT band diagnosis was wrong right from the start?

The other poster that mentioned low back issues was raising a good point. Have you ever had any back pain? Any pain radiating down the leg/hip/buttock? Especially while seated, that goes away when standing?

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Fulla, pulling up this old post to see if you ever fully recovered. I’ve been dealing with all the same issues for 2 years. The various locations of pain ( same as younhave described)have all gone away, maybe from the core work and stretching but the weakness in my left leg remains. VMO is 1/2" less in circumference than the right, even weightless squats are difficult and lead to subsequent knee. Running is out, stride is short and recovery seems slower than the right. Biking tires the hammy especially and leads to numbness in the toes. Cramps after long swims as well. I’m set for an EMG soon to determine if this is truly a neurological issue and what extent of damage is done.

Have you found relief and a full recovery? Was surgery ever considered? was there lasting nerve damage?

M

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Dude, you should most surely look into your SI joint alignment…you’ve got a host of factors that suggest it may be malrotated. Take a listen to this:

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2010/06/podcast-episode-97-the-single-injury-that-is-responsible-for-more-than-75-of-the-pain-you-have-while-exercising/

Good luck,
Ben Greenfield

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Ben, Thanks for the advice. one of several PT 's suggested posterior rotated hip pressuring a nerve as opposed to the bulging disc that the ortho diagnosed. The PT thought that the root of the issue was a tight hammy pulling the hip back and down. Things got much better after perscribed gently stretching the hammy and some other sac joint exercises I found on youtube. But the weakness in my hammy, VMO and resultant knee pain just doesn’t improve.

I’ll check out the link.

Thanks again.
M

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OK, I listened and followed the link to runwithnopain. Sounds exactly what I have been dealing with. We shall see!

M

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Sounds good…just shoot me an e-mail if you have questions as you do the program or if anything isn’t clear for you.

Ben Greenfield