Donald Corenman, MD, DC
Moderator
Post count: 8660

The L5 nerves are affected with an isthmic spondylolisthesis of L5-S1. This is why this surgeon thought you should be developing symptoms on the top of your feet. The L5 nerve essentially stops at the top of the foot but the inside bottom of the foot (big toe side) could also be affected.

The feeling of walking on glass (allodynia) is generally from an actual intrinsic nerve root injury and not from nerve root compression. The difference is that when you remove compression from a nerve root, the compressive pain will generally abate but with an injured nerve root, this pain will generally remain. Read “chronic radiculopathy” and “nerve damage and healing” on this website.

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.