Your mother’s complaints: Can not easily walk. Left leg is almost non helping while walking, Feels weakness in the left knee while walking, Can not stand for long, Can not walk keeping the spine straight, Problem in the left knee, left-leg-fingers and left leg, Feels a stress in the ligament/muscle of the back side of left leg while walking”
Your mother’s findings on MRI and X-ray: “Broad based disc herniation at central-paracentral L3-5 levels causing mild thecal sac indentation” and “Mild osteoarthritic change in left knee joint”.
Weakness in the left leg could be from pain inhibition or from neurological weakness. The MRI according to the radiologist is not too remarkable. Without nerve compression, there should be no source of leg pain or weakness originating from the spine. The left knee could have a problem such as a meniscal tear that won’t show up on X-ray, but that is conjecture. There may be more problems in the spine that could be unrecognized by the radiologist but that is also conjecture.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
