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#31489

Hello,
Thanks in advance for reading this. I had a microdisectomy of my L5S1 about 8 weeks ago. I healed well from the surgery and followed all the instructions. The only thing I am having an issue with is my calf. When I wake up my left leg feels great. But once I step foot on the ground I feel shocks in my calf. My surgery was with a spinal surgeon but when I called the recommended I follow up with an ortho. I did. We found that I lost my Achilles reflex and have a lot of tightness in my ankle. For the most part I am walking with a limp due to my calf being cramped. He performed nerve testing and believes I have a disruption in my sacral nerve. He recommended I increase gabapentin which I have although it’s not improving. Is it just too soon or should I call my surgeon back and ask for another MRI? Could my Sacral root still be compressed? I have tried PT but it didn’t seem to improve at all.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#31515

The aftermath of nerve injury from disc herniations for the first 3-6 months can be “tightness in my ankle” and “walking with a limp due to my calf being cramped”. The nerve needs to heal and if a large herniation compression occurred, that takes time. The L5-S1 level is generally associated with the S1 nerve which is of course a “disruption in my sacral nerve”. Possibly, a short course of oral steroid would be appropriate, If symptoms don’t improve in 3-4 weeks, a new MRI should be considered,

Dr. Corenman

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