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Back L5/S1 Hernia - Foot Numbness

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October 20th, 2009
No pain or symptoms except for foot numbness. Numbness increases with excercize.

The foot numbness I presume indicates increased pressure on the nerve at the L5./S1 hernia.

Question - Should I ease up on the level of excercize to prevent too much pressure or should I work through it ?

Question - Can too much foot numbness indicate permanent damage i.e. Too much excercize is bad ?

I feel good and dont mind the numbness and thus dont want surgery, but wonder if I am causing more damage with karate kicks and jumps etc . Should I ease up ? What is the doctors opinion ?
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littleonefb
replied October 20th, 2009
Extremely eHealthy
If you have been diagnosed with an L5/S1 herniation and had an MRI, you should not be doing any karate kicks or jumps at all. You are doing more damage and increasing the herniation.

What you should be doing is going to physical therapy in an attempt to heal the herniation.

With a physical therapist you will learn how to properly strengthen your core muscles that are vital for good support of your spine, how to move properly, bend, turn, twist and stoop.

The foot numbness is a strong indication of nerve compression. Whether it has developed into permanent nerve damage or not, only your spine surgeon can tell you that.

Continued nerve compression can result in permanent nerve damage, how long that takes to happen is an individual thing.

Continuing to any kind of exercise that will prevent the disc herniation from healing, potentially making it worse, can and will result in permanent damage.

Are you being followed by a spine surgeon? If not then you need to be evaluated by one right away and follow the advise of your doctor.

Good luck

Fran
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SCP1956
replied April 24th, 2012
FOOT PAIN AND NUNBNESS
Ive got left foot numbness that is mostly when sitting,had a l5 s1 partial disc surgery in 1993 and the pain in my lower back returned in 2010, got better with traction and decompression but in last 3 months ive got the foot numbness. The recent mri shows the degeneratve disc and i believe there is compression but all the doctors say no, it has to be somethinh else. A cervical mri shows a small c3 c4 herniation, can leg and foot problems come from the cervical area? Please help,im at my witts end.........steve 55 years
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