Muscle cramping....

[Tatonka_usn]

Was curious if anyone has had any noticable issues with muscle cramping, the legs in particular. When I first began experiencing the L5/S1 issues, I had significant problems with my left achillies....associated with mechanical (eg extruded disc material) impingement of the left S1 nerve. While my micro-D at that level has initial success, and I regained some strength, the achilles nerve reflex never really came back.

Coupled with this, I often have issues with cramping, but in the achilles/calf area, and in the bottom of my foot (the inner portion, around the arch). They always seemed to be random, but have become someone more persistent over the past 6 months or so. I'm wondering if this is just a byproduct of the condition I'm just going to have to live with, or the harbinger of something more significant in the making?

Anyone experience similar cramping, and have any thoughts/suggestions on how best to deal with it?

Thanks!

Alan

[KBear]

It's common to have new leg pain after surgery; but that usually resolves itself within a few months. If this is a new symptom, I would bring it up with the doctor. If it happened after your last surgery and is still here years later, I would think it could be damage from the surgery. As far as damage being permanent or not, I think generally surgeons tell you that surgery will not reverse damage. However, in many cases 'permanent' damage is reversed. One of our members, Katie, had horrible problems, symptoms and what was considered permanent nerve damage. She had surgery almost a year ago and has seen quite a few (if not all) of her permanent nerve damage reversed. So, you really never know if surgery will fix it or not.