RE: Cathy/foot drop/Jai

[Guest guest]

Hi Cathy and Jai. You two sound like you have my legs! I just measured them. I knew that the rsd one was smaller than the other, just didn't realize how much smaller. Here's the measurements if you're interested:

right leg (good one) - thigh: 25", calf: 14 1/2:, ankle: 8 1/2"

leg leg (rsd ankle and foot) - thigh: 24", calf: 11 1/2", ankle: 7"

I can't walk at all on mine either, Cathy. I have had rsd for 2 1/2 years. On crutches the whole time. Now I have a chair for lenghy events. I'm wearing out my good leg. My foot is also dropped, turned and twisted. My toes are all squished together and one is a hammertoe now. And Jai, I also have had the Achilles tendon surgery. It made mine worse. My ankle is now frozen in place. It does not move at all and I can only put about 5 pounds of pressure on it if I'm lucky. Went through so many hours of PT that I went through two Christmas seasons in a row there. But, like everyone says, everyone is different and different things work different for everyone.

Anyway, just my two cents worth. I've decided that I truely HATE this crap and stupid drs that have no idea what they're doing. Please excuse the small amount of venting. Not a good night tonight. It's way too cold for my foot tonight and it's swollen up like a balloon and I have nothing to take for it. Guess it's another Tylenol night. (sigh)

Gentle hugs, Faith

hello. i have been in a wheelchair for 11 years now. no i cannot walk on > > foot. it has dropped as far as the foot will go. and now itis turning > > inward. haven't been able to put weight on it since the awful day of > > surgery. i have one pretty leg (twiggy) and the other leg big muscles > > ( arnold swartzneggera) s go figure.

Hi Cathy. > Your legs sound just like mine. My RSD leg is about half the size of my >other. I also have bad scars from the original injury and the skin grafts. Not a >pretty sight. I have been working for 4 years in PT and it has helped a lot. I >had foot drop; and then it developed contractures of the ankle. My foot was >in a pointed position so I was unable to walk at all. My ortho had me in PT >and they worked on it for about a year with little results. I only gained like >20-30 degrees. At this point he did surgery to correct it. I don't know if >this is something that could help you but maybe you could ask your doc. The >surgery is called a Z-plasty, they cut and stretch the Achilles tendon into a >functional position then cast it for a long time. I had great success with >this, I was able to bear weight after a while and walk with crutches. The only >problem is that my toes still have contractures and point down. I wear a brace >for this to keep them straight. I hope this might help a little. Take care, >Love Jai

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