Hi everyone,

A couple of weeks ago I posted under hip & knee problem. I found that the problem was due to a trapped nerve in the piriformis muscle, and though I can now walk well and pain-free, I'm still having difficulty running.

The front of my duff leg is still slightly numb to the touch, mostly round the front of my knee-cap. I've had two sessions with a sports-physio, and he reckons it's residual damage caused by the trapped nerve.

When I try to run, the bad leg simply fails to synchronise with my good leg. The "push-off", and the bend-position of the knee on impact are wrongly timed. I'm guessing that nerve impairement is failing to provide sufficiently fast feedback regarding knee-position and the demand being made on the associated muscles. All the timings are in effect out of synch.

Does anyone have experience of anything like this? I've been unable to run now for four weeks, and it's very demoralising. So what remedial action should I take? Will the nerves recover, and will the local nerve-reflexes "re-learn" what to do?

In sports - eg football - we used to have the term "dead-leg" when we were kicked in certain parts of the leg, and this would incapacitate us for a while. The symptoms are much the same - poor control of the leg.

Any advice or support greatly appreciated.

I don't know what to suggest as my piriformis wasn't as severe as yours - how did your physio treat you was it soft tissue work with the elbow in the bum? If your leg is no better after a week I'd maybe consider seeking the advice of a chiropractor or osteo???

I believe leg lag can sometimes be back related.

Good luck and I hope your leg feels better soon.

Thanks Edwina,

Yes, the physio used the elbow-in-bum soft tissue stuff, and it seems to have helped. I've also tried short distance test runs each day, and there does seem to be improvement. It's very tiring though, being so uncoordinated, and considering that I was doing daily 8-milers just four weeks ago, the thought of doing just one mile seems way outside my current capacity.

I'm due to see the hospital physio over the next week; this follows my hospital session (x-rays & MRI) and consultant appointment, the outcome of which showed no major trauma. In the meantime I'll just see how the daily hundred yards goes.

Good luck with that. Yesterday I've been suffering with some numbness and prickling in my left buttock undecided as to whether to book myself in for a massage or whether I should mention it to the chiro I'm not due to see him for two weeks - mine doesn't bother me when I run mostly when I'm lying down.

Does sitting on a golf/tennis/hockey ball offer you any relief?

Don't rush returning back to running I've been spending the last couple of weeks walk/running. I may try running 7 mins walking 2 mins tomorrow.