Muscle weakness and Sciatica anyone else?

I’ve had a ‘grumbly’ back for years and after any particularly big/strenuous rides or any out of the ordinary prolonged manual labour efforts I’ve always had a bit of a stiff lower back for a few days afterwards

Making breakfast 10 days ago now I had a sudden onset bout of what I later think is sciatica, Jesus christ this pain was nowhere near my back and it was like the inside of my leg bones were on fire and nothing I could do would put the fire out.

I’m a bit of a mans man so got in the car and went to work as you do and was panting and puffing, moaning and groaning on the 30 minute drive to work, I limped/swore/sweated my way round a days work (office type based stuff) and had to call my wife to drive me home, no way was I risking getting into that pain threshold again with a steering wheel in front of me.

I noticed almost immediately that morning that I lost skin touch (sensation) on the lower outer part of my left calf and inner part to my foot and big toe, but also I couldn’t bring my foot upwards by flexing at my ankle (there’s a muscle on the front outer part of your shin bone that controls this action) and also the inner head of my calf muscle wasn’t firing up to do much at all. When we walk we tend to hit the floor with our heel first then roll onto our midsole then balls of our foot, I now walk with a ‘slappy’ foot, my heel hits the floor then micro seconds later my flat foot hits the floor. Theres no way I could ‘dig my heel in’ and push against it, i wouldn’t feel any pain, my foot would simply tip forwards because that muscle that keeps your toes pointing upwards and your heel downward isn’t doing it’s thing.

I’ve paid for an MRI scan and had that yesterday, I can’t get a consultant appointment until the 9th Sept because it seems that consultants are allowed holidays too you know, yes I’m willing to pay for it and yes I’ve not just tried my local hospital.

Have any of you experienced muscle weakness following sciatica and what was your outcome?
Thanks and I hope I don’t hear any horror stories! (but please be honest if you have to)

Yes, kind of goes hand in hand.

Jamesoz, so you’ve had the same? and are now back to normal? if so how long did it take to get back to normal? I know everyone is different but I’m interested to hear.
Thanks

Piriformis(sp) trapping a nerve it’s hell on earth

Jamesoz, so you’ve had the same? and are now back to normal? if so how long did it take to get back to normal? I know everyone is different but I’m interested to hear.
Thanks

I’m back to normal but I did need surgery on my L5 disc, took about 6months after the surgery.
Mine came on gradually, so long term damage rather than a sudden onset.

Was a badly herniated disc, yours may not be.

Ive not had sciatica since The surgery in 2007. However I do occasionally get very bad back pain if Ive been neglecting my core or over do it at work.

I used to move and lift some really heavy things (100-450kg) and sometimes I forget that just because I’m strong enough, doesn’t mean I should.

Also a long history of niggly back pain – did a 30 mile ride this morning no problem and it went ping when I got out the bloody shower.

Had sciatica January 2020, down my right leg, and got numbness/deadness in my right calf and heel.

Foolishly left it rather than going back to bother the GP during the pandemic. Still lacking proper sensation in my heel, and strangely lost the inner head of my gastrocnemius(?) calf muscle – just not there if I flex my calf, and presumably doesn’t work when I’m walking or cycling either.

I should have added back problems can be complex things, others experience may be of little help apart from agreeing sciatica can be horrible, like tooth ache in your leg.

Yeah sciatica is bad. The way its down your entire leg and even your small toe hurts.
I ruptured a vertebrata(slipped disc) and ended up lying on the floor in pretty much the same position for 4 days. Couldnt stand up and the disc bit from the cat scan was pretty conclusive showing it pressing right into that nerve. Back was bad, but that pain down the leg and especially at the upper section above the knee was the worst in that i could position so not moving meant the disc didnt hurt, but the pain from the sciatic nerve never once went away. All the creams, deep heat etc did absolutely nothing to alleviate it, and it was only the intervention of copious amounts of morphine and a hospital bed and occupational therapy torturers made it worth living.
.
Its still noticeable today, over 18months years later but its nowhere near as bad. It’s more a niggle i can feel sometimes, almost like a coldness on the outside of the thigh.
Apparently that is something that can last once its been effected and only keeping moving and your mind occupied and ibuprofen helps alleviate it.

The only video you need is https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YnPxMUYkVdU

Also useful is Jeff Cavaliers glute stretching and strengthening exercises.

No need to thank me

GO AND SEE A PHYSIO.

Did you really get a MRI before seeing a physio? :D

I had a similarity bad back in 2014. My lower back spasmed massively and I could not move for almost a week. Reason was leg length discrepancy that inflamed many muscles and causes lots of other interesting phenomena like different shoulder height, forward rotated shoulders, weak glutes and everything else. Anyway, point is a physio (privately, really, in these days) is what you need to go to first. Who knows maybe it’s a hernia/bulging disc but could very well be muscular in cause. Really, see a physio.

This forum should really have three sub headings

Bike

Chat

Sciatica and Hernias

:-)

but also I couldn’t bring my foot upwards by flexing at my ankle (there’s a muscle on the front outer part of your shin bone that controls this action)

Seeminly not because of sciatica because it was symetrical rather than one leg and from the knee down only (some other peripheral neuropathy that never really got diagnosed)  – I lost feeling and control in those muscles in both legs – numb tops of my feet and shins and unable to lift my feet – ie could stand on tiptoes but couldn’t stand on my heals.

Something to be aware of if that particular symptom persists for any amount of time is problems stemming from your calf muscles tightening / shortening because they are unopposed by those muscles in your shin. I had to have a specialist make up some fabulously kinky looking orthotics to keep everything right (and to be able to walk without a ‘stepping gait’) until everything seemed to resolve itself about 5 months later.

Sounds like a trapped nerve in the vertebrae, knocking out the signal to do the foot lift thing?

I have two fused vertebrae, after a bit of lifting they can stiffen up, I do exercises to keep them supple and strengthen the glutes, core/back which really helps, but it can flare up bad, my physio(£40 per hour) is the first port of call, fixes the pain and least time he sent an email to my GP and arranged an MRI scan on NHS.

I guess you wait till the results come through and take it from there, I keep saying it but the physio eases the pain and my cheapo 4 ball massage machine helps when muscles get stiff with overdoing it, which can just be doing anything after some muscles have been not used properly due to over compensating with other ones.

Thanks for the replies guys.
I had my MRI and I’ve got 3 x herniated discs L3/4 L4/5 (worst one) L5/S1.
L4/5 has a bit that has torn off it and the bulge is pressing the nerve causing the pain and the loss of power and feeling in my peroneal nerve.
Seen one consultant who said to wait a month for any improving and if none then get on the list for surgery.
I’ve another consultation with a different chap tomorrow to get his opinion and I’ll make my mind up.
My concern being that the longer iI don’t have full use of my foot the less likely it’s to return fully.
Cheers