AboutCourtney Expertise I am an Orthopaedic Physical Therapist with 8 years experience. I can answer questions re: orthopaedic injuries & rehabilitation. I treat patients with a variety of problems including back, neck, shoulder, hip, knee, & ankle injuries / surgeries. If you have questions about your elbow, wrist, or hand, you will most likely get better information / assistance from someone else on this website.
Experience I have been practicing in an orthopaedic setting for 8 years & have experience primarily with shoulder, neck, back, & lower extremity injuries.
Organizations American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
Orthopaedic Section of APTA
Expert: Courtney Date: 5/14/2008 Subject: paraneal nerve
Question my husband is 43 and 6 weeks ago his foot stopped working then after 4 doctors they narrowed it down to the paraneal nerve after a nerve test the nerve is not working from mid thigh down. We don't have another appointment to a specialist until 3 weeks from know. My question is should he be doing any type of physical therapy? He is a truck driver and cannot even drive a regular vehicle.
Answer Pamela--
Sorry to hear of your situation.
Nerve problems typically result in 2 problems (to keep it simple). They eighter affect sensation or "motor control" (the muscles ability to react). My experience with nerve irritation is that, (regardless of which nerve is irritated, or the source of the problem) sensation issues respond to therapy more quickly than "motor" issues. (Typically, one will notice changes in sensation (ie numbness, tingling, cold sensation .....) before any changes in strength are noted). In other words, it is typically a progression based on time. Symptoms may start as altered sensation & if left (unresolved) longe enough can progress to muscle weakness. My experience with outcomes, here is that the weaker the muscle, & the longer the weakness is present, the lower the likelihood to recover full strength.
At this point, there maybe some options available from a therapy perspective depending on the origin of the nerve irritation (ie is the source in his back, lower leg, thigh region, "where is it coming from??").
My concern would be the duration of his weakness. He will have had a loss of muscle control for 9 weeks before he is "being treated."
I know you said he is to see a "specialist." What kind of doctor is that (neurosurgeon, neurologist, orthopedic...).
Also, is he wearing some sort of brace or high top tennis shoe to protect his ankle from injury. If not, this might be something to consider.
Thanks for the question. Good luck!
I would be curious to hear the outcome.
I sincerely hope you will follow up & let me know what you find out!!
