As one thing improves another takes over…typical. I am sure you’ll conquer that too in time. Sometimes sorting one means somewhere else is put out of kilter but eventually it will all align again.
Reading your later posts I think there is a place for orthotics but it isn’t a cure all. I find mine useful to stop me tripping over my toes which permanently point downwards. It does however stiffen my ankle so i use it sparingly.
Best wishes.
Ann
Thanks Ann,
I’m so pleased to be over the locked-glute days. I don’t know how I endured 1 year and 1 month of that torture. Hopefully each set of problems will be on a smaller and smaller scale.
I’m still trying to make up my mind whether to go for an orthotic fitting.
Your comment about stiffening is interesting… I’m against raising the heel too high…(limiting my Range Of Movement)
We’ll see, thx, Roland
Thanks for input Nigel,
I’m super stumped at the moment. Maybe my foot is just tired, but ankle is super stiff today… my problem is not enough sensation so I just can’t feel what’s going on. Sure, the sensation improves at a snail’s pace, in the meantime I am most definitely not using my foot correctly (nor my whole leg).
I have no regular fixed difficulty… one minute it’s one thing then another. Like you, I can lift my toes well. I presume you mean it’s your midfoot that strikes the floor too early ? / too much ? Yes, a wheel might be the right solution. Your foot has numb days ? (mine does).
Thanks for chat, ciao, Roland
Hi Nigel,
I’m the same… it’s numbness, paraesthesia, stiffness, spasms every other day. It varies all the time, and yesterday was a nightmare… the spasms were all over my foot, hip and ankle, and my morale crashed (yet again).
Today, in need of some encouragement, I did a standard test for proprioception. I wonder how well you would do at this, Nigel. Fancy a go? So I stood upright, no support, feet together, eyes closed. My wife timed me and I managed just over 2 minutes (no peeping). It was hard. There must be some rudimentary proprioceptors (our feet are crammed full of them, so we can stand upright) functioning, and I reported this little test to my Radiologist friend, who was well pleased. Mind you, he had worked out I had some proprioception since I sent him a videoclip of myself getting up from the grass unaided, without stick, (thanks to my CORE training).
In terms of CPSP, I presume there are differences between us, but I attribute all my pains to my nerves reattaching and the participation of higher brain functions to my movements, and sensation. Somewhat like you, I experience hyper sensitivity, but my Chinese Dr. says pain is my friend !! Charming.
I have the mid-gait catch, some days it’s worse / some better. But the podiatrist declared I have no equinus, nor contracture… she said my feet were essentially similar in performance. She explained my 10 degree dorsiflexion vs 30 on my good foot down to flexibility, experience, bit of stiffness etc. I have rejected her recommendation for an orthotic (for now).
“Not feeling contact with floor” ? How about with bare feet ? Tickle your toes / sole of foot ? How about hot / cold water ? Have you tried rubbing the sole of your foot on a rough textured slab (like my patio?)
I have often wondered how close we are in terms of progress, and often thought some symptoms were close, then I would think to myself that you are much further along the line in terms of progress and capability. I’m sure what matters is that we each overcome, slowly but surely, our battles!
Thx for reading, keep it up,
ciao, Roland
@Nigelglos and @pando,
I wanted to add to this. I have been out of sorts with heart issues lately and have not been around much. However, something I have just noticed in the past week or two, rather than my entire left side being tingling and burning-cold, or stiff all over, I am now getting those feelings in what I would call small patches. So definitely the ball of my foot and bottom of arches (for both feet, actually), back of my calf, and a large spot on the back of my thigh. My arm is only bothered at night, and my hand is fine unless I have overworked it. Fingers still have that feeling of being pulled back much of the time and toes sometimes. My middle and ring finger always feel like I am wearing large, heavy rings on them, but I can’t stand to wear any jewelry on that hand.
Just wanted to let you know that this is an improvement I did not expect after all this time. Like you, Pando, I am elated to have it, although, because it more centered in smaller spots rather than overall, it feels a bit more intense, perhaps by comparison to what no longer hurts as much or as often. (I will be three years in August).
Congratulations on the two minutes! I will never forget how hard that was, how much work, how overwhelmingly fatiguing, and how I couldn’t wait to sit down again. I felt like Atlas, holding up the weight of the entire world. I most certainly hope that now you both know you can do that you will challenge yourselves to do it at least once a day, then twice after a few more days, etc as you build up strength and stamina. Seemed like it went really fast for me after that for quite sometime, to get back to being able to do so much more. Godspeed!
Thank you DeAnn,
I’m sensing you are going through a lot, as is Nigel as am I. It helps to hear of changes and passing phases; that’s what I’m hoping for. At the moment I get cramps / spasms that lock my big toe up for the whole day every 3 days. I’ suspecting my BP meds, not for the first time, especially the calcium-channel blocker. I’ve started taking calcium daily supplement, because I know a depletion can cause spasms. The giveaway was that my good big toe tried to spasms last night, and that tells me it’s more the meds than the stroke. Because the big toe is far from the brain, the spasm strikes there and leaves me barely able to walk every 3 days.
We all have our problems, and it’s no fun much of the time. The podiatrist said I might get a little bit of contracture in my plantar fascia (sole of foot) and I had the feeling she wasn’t clued up on strokes. One thing I’m trying to do more of is barefoot walking to stimulate the affected side of the brain, and address the lopsided balance between the 2 hemispheres of my brain rather than concentrate on the good side.
Thank you for your reminder that symptoms change with time. When I think back to those inner thigh locked glute days (every other day for 1 year and 1 month) I dread the thought of a long spell of locked big toe every 3 days. Hurry nerves ; hurry. Why is life so hard after my stroke ? (yes, I do know why) but will I / you / we pull through? someone please tell me yes !!
Well time to battle through the day,
hope you’re both good, and getting better by the minute,
ciao, Roland
Have you thought about heated leggings, gloves etc?
I’m ok with a cardigan as long as I’m inside (out of the wind), in the direct sun-light - we are sat overlooking the Forth estuary watching the kite surfers at the moment
I have left this forum.
I have left this forum.
I have left this forum.
I bought a shoulder harness that is heated and vibrates for use with frozen shoulder off eBay, Amazon has lots of gloves, leggings, ghillies, ear muffs, pocket warmers etc EG
Amazon.co.uk: Fernida: Heated Apparel
One point of significance though is that if the need is neurological rather than physical then heated clothing may well not be perceived by the senses as warming
Caio
Simon
Good suggestion, DeAnn,
in hospital (21 months ago) I remember my potassium levels were low ; they told me to eat a banana and next thing I knew levels were back to normal. Nowadays I have a banana almost every day, though I’ve not had apricot (also high in potassium) for about a week. Anyway, thanks for pointing out the connection between Potassium & spasms ; something for me to look out for
ciao, Roland
I have plenty of potassium, Nigel
Since my nerves are making a comeback in a big way, my big-toe spasms are worrying, but possibly just a part of my rehab that hopefully will settle… somehow.
But good point about meds causing absorption issues. The meds are, IMO, to blame for a certain amount of peripheral neuropathy. This can include the spasms I talk about
Thanks, Roland
Thx for asking, Nigel
before I get up I get paraesthesia in my long toe / little toes… then that shifts to the big toe an hour or two later, then the ankle stiffens another hour later, then the gastrocnemius muscles tighten up and form a square shape, and that whole block of muscles tightens up, from Hallux to Gastroc, locked for the day… I can barely walk to the bathroom. Nightmare, through which I have to learn to keep calm… otherwise it’s worse. No changing of position can pull me out of the spasm
ciao, Roland
I forgot ; 2 days it’s free, then this nonsense happens on the 3rd day only.
It’s due tomorrow. But I’m hoping to break the cycle with these strategies;
• calcium supplement (to reduce spasms)
• boost potassium
• ASEA electron transport chain signalling supplement
• iTeracare wand
• mixing up my exercise patterns (and reducing calf stretches)
• drink more water
• Creatine to absorb more water into my muscles
• Collagen supplement
My nerves are making a big comeback ; walking on my lawn is a different experience almost every day. And every day that passes gives me more feedback, sensitivity and manual control over muscles getting me closer to my goal,
yes it’s rough at the moment (depends on how tomorrow goes)
ciao, Roland
Yes Nigel, I’ve been through the self-fulfilling theory about the same time that I solved my 1 year 1 month of Yin/yang locked glute patterns (with a CORE stretch I developed which I called X-frame). I completely solved those spasms on my inner thigh. Let’s not forget that my nerves are making a comeback. I repeat this because it’s at the root of all my problems… I am in a transitional phase, as higher brain functions are able to be involved I solve my probs.
Ciao, Roland
The stiffness is very real ; stiffness is an understatement.
The locking near my hip is making it’s way down to my calf muscles, right now
I have left this forum.
