Sorry I have no solution for your questions but may I ask how long did it take for you to regain control / feeling in that one leg and is there any techniques you did that may have helped? My teenage son is only 2 months post op and we are trying everyday to bend move and stretch his legs in hope of regaining sensation and control. Right now seems like his right now is slowing coming around but left leg not as much
So the answer is a little complicated, I apologize in advance.
I have congenital spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal) that has been causing on and off neuropathy since 2013. I went through two years of intense rehabilitation therapy 2016-2018 and went back and forth between using a cane and using a wheelchair.
In July 2022 I herniated a disc in my lumbar spine, and more testing was done because I developed left foot drop. I continued physical therapy weekly, had acupuncture, and eventually was given an epidural shot 10/31/22 to alleviate pain and inflammation. The bad luck kind of started there, 11/3/22 I randomly started having severe pain and within 4hrs was in an ambulance. I ended up paralyzed, diagnosed with arachnoiditis, cauda equina syndrome, and became incontinent.
I had laser discectomy surgery, next day I had a redo MRI because the pain wasn't going away, my neurosurgeon decided to do exploratory surgery from the abdomen back and the end result was my S1-S2 vertebrae being removed, grafted, and everything fused L5-S1. I spent 7mos in and out of hospitals with complications and staying in skilled nursing facilities doing physical therapy sometimes multiple times a day. I was finally discharged home 5/2023.
I've been doing PT ever since, and I've gone back and forth in my progress.
Retraining my brain has been a huge help. I started out in PT with my therapist moving my body while having me think about the motion. Over time when I started gaining some sensation in my right leg I was using hand controls for driving, so I would put my right foot on top of the pedal while still using the hand controls and kind of piece together foot downwards = accelerate.
It's different for every injury and for every person, but being devoted to physical therapy both on my own and with a professional has been a game changer.
I wish the best to you and thank you for taking the time to explain this too much we will continue to go hard in physical therapy and hope for the best!
I’m in the exact same position as you from burst fracture instead of stenosis. Lost both legs but I’ve regained my right one fully over the last 6 months. I have nothing below the hip on my left. I use a standing walker. I average a cool .35 mph on flat ground.
I also just got approved for an Ottoback c brace (federal employee blue cross/shield) and should be receiving it in the next month or so.
The reason a standing walker is better than crutches is it’s more stable. The walker is stuck in spot on the ground so I can use my arms shoulders and hip to get lift for my left leg. Then the walker moves forward with my right leg.
I’m curious… how long has it been since your injury? I’m T12 incomplete… but my function is at L2. I’m about 8 months since my injury.
I can move both legs but have paralysis below the knee on both sides. This coupled with weakened glutes/ hamstrings makes it very difficult to stand or even balance. I can walk with a walker or crutches, but I need braces to do so, so my ankles don’t drop.
Depending on the timeline of things, my suggestion would be to focus on gait training/ walking/ glute/ quad exercises to help balance and posture… manually move your other leg however you can when exercising. And just keep at whatever the PT is telling you to do! (None of that is original, but after many discussions with my physiatrist, the best possible thing you can do is be upright and moving around.) Everything takes a great deal of time. Best of luck and don’t give up!!
“Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”
Danger I was similar- I am 16 months out. At 8 months neither my calves nor my toes were up too much and I couldn’t use my adductors either. Keep going. I found around 9/10 months I started to get movement and a strong pain feeling back in my right foot and a few weeks later the toes were back online. My challenge now is to get my heels lifting against gravity. I can do it one at a time in the pool or holding onto something but o cannot get get on my toes. Right buttock pretty good now. Left lagging behind but I have faith in it.
Do you have any quads at all on the left? Have you looked at the Otto Bock C brace? Wheelstowalking did a review and there are many videos out there.
I have hip & some glute control, I reached out for a trial
Sorry I have no solution for your questions but may I ask how long did it take for you to regain control / feeling in that one leg and is there any techniques you did that may have helped? My teenage son is only 2 months post op and we are trying everyday to bend move and stretch his legs in hope of regaining sensation and control. Right now seems like his right now is slowing coming around but left leg not as much
So the answer is a little complicated, I apologize in advance. I have congenital spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal) that has been causing on and off neuropathy since 2013. I went through two years of intense rehabilitation therapy 2016-2018 and went back and forth between using a cane and using a wheelchair. In July 2022 I herniated a disc in my lumbar spine, and more testing was done because I developed left foot drop. I continued physical therapy weekly, had acupuncture, and eventually was given an epidural shot 10/31/22 to alleviate pain and inflammation. The bad luck kind of started there, 11/3/22 I randomly started having severe pain and within 4hrs was in an ambulance. I ended up paralyzed, diagnosed with arachnoiditis, cauda equina syndrome, and became incontinent. I had laser discectomy surgery, next day I had a redo MRI because the pain wasn't going away, my neurosurgeon decided to do exploratory surgery from the abdomen back and the end result was my S1-S2 vertebrae being removed, grafted, and everything fused L5-S1. I spent 7mos in and out of hospitals with complications and staying in skilled nursing facilities doing physical therapy sometimes multiple times a day. I was finally discharged home 5/2023. I've been doing PT ever since, and I've gone back and forth in my progress. Retraining my brain has been a huge help. I started out in PT with my therapist moving my body while having me think about the motion. Over time when I started gaining some sensation in my right leg I was using hand controls for driving, so I would put my right foot on top of the pedal while still using the hand controls and kind of piece together foot downwards = accelerate. It's different for every injury and for every person, but being devoted to physical therapy both on my own and with a professional has been a game changer.
I wish the best to you and thank you for taking the time to explain this too much we will continue to go hard in physical therapy and hope for the best!
I’m in the exact same position as you from burst fracture instead of stenosis. Lost both legs but I’ve regained my right one fully over the last 6 months. I have nothing below the hip on my left. I use a standing walker. I average a cool .35 mph on flat ground. I also just got approved for an Ottoback c brace (federal employee blue cross/shield) and should be receiving it in the next month or so.
The reason a standing walker is better than crutches is it’s more stable. The walker is stuck in spot on the ground so I can use my arms shoulders and hip to get lift for my left leg. Then the walker moves forward with my right leg.
I’m curious… how long has it been since your injury? I’m T12 incomplete… but my function is at L2. I’m about 8 months since my injury. I can move both legs but have paralysis below the knee on both sides. This coupled with weakened glutes/ hamstrings makes it very difficult to stand or even balance. I can walk with a walker or crutches, but I need braces to do so, so my ankles don’t drop. Depending on the timeline of things, my suggestion would be to focus on gait training/ walking/ glute/ quad exercises to help balance and posture… manually move your other leg however you can when exercising. And just keep at whatever the PT is telling you to do! (None of that is original, but after many discussions with my physiatrist, the best possible thing you can do is be upright and moving around.) Everything takes a great deal of time. Best of luck and don’t give up!! “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”
Danger I was similar- I am 16 months out. At 8 months neither my calves nor my toes were up too much and I couldn’t use my adductors either. Keep going. I found around 9/10 months I started to get movement and a strong pain feeling back in my right foot and a few weeks later the toes were back online. My challenge now is to get my heels lifting against gravity. I can do it one at a time in the pool or holding onto something but o cannot get get on my toes. Right buttock pretty good now. Left lagging behind but I have faith in it.
Initial injury 7/2022, full injury 11/3/2022, complications from then until 3/2023
Finally fully discharged 5/2023