Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with leg

Stuck in bed for the summer

bahama mama — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 09:16:36 -0800

I just found out my 14 year old niece broke both her femur and tibia and will be in a cast from hip to toe for the next 6 weeks! I want to put together a care package - any suggestions? I don't know her that well, but I do know she is very into sports such as soccer and basketball. She doesn't play video games, so that's out, and I don't know what type of music or tv she likes. Help! What are some things I could give her to occupy her time while she is basically bed-ridden for the summer? Any books that are popular with the teens I should know about? (I checked with her mom but she said "anything" will be appreciated.)

The Kneedle and The Damage Done

zackola — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:32:51 -0800

How long after injury to wait before seeing an orthopedic surgeon? Details inside. So, I screwed up me knee a bit this weekend - Overdid it with running, hiking and playing tennis. I'm 28, have never had a knee/leg issue before. I can't pinpoint the moment this started. Somewhere between the hiking and the tennis playing I think. There was no snap, crackle or pop, but bending my right leg at the knee started hurting. Pain is on the lower front part of knee, but also a bit lower down on the muscle on the outside of my leg (shin splint?). The next day was better, I could walk fine, but going up or down stairs was painful on that right knee.

I've been icing it, and taking ibuprofen occasionally (even though that is unnecessary for daily activity). There is no locking or snapping when I bend it. Three days later (today) walking up stairs there is no issue. Walking down still hurts my right knee when I put my left foot forward and the weight is on my right foot. Fearing a torn meniscus. Ug. Father and brother in-law are urging me to go see an orthopedic surgeon sooner than later, but shouldn't I give it a bit of time to rest (like a week to see if it's just a strained muscle?) before going to someone?

If the answer is go see one now, anyone have recommendations for a knee guy in NYC?

Stretching Without Bending

meerkatty — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:31:27 -0800

Is there a way to stretch my quadriceps without bending my knees? My right knee doesn't bend all the way - a result of constant patella dislocation when I was a teenager. I cannot do standing, sidelying or prone quadriceps stretches (all demonstrated here) with my right leg. But I desperately need to stretch and am worried about damaging my knee again because I'm not. (I'm presently running 5 times/week.) Anyone have any suggestions?

What's up with my leg?

billysumday — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:27:03 -0800

Medical Filter. Recently (in the past month or so), one of my legs seems to have either grown longer than the other one, or one has shrunk. I walk around with a bit of a limp, and my right foot slaps the pavement. It doesn't hurt at all. Additionally, when I run or play tennis (I'm in a weekly league), my toes on my right foot get numb and prickly, like when your leg or arm goes to sleep. Then, today, I went running but had to stop because my right foot was starting to hurt. Now, about an hour after running, I'm sitting here behind the computer, and I notice that the back of my right leg, sort of between my calf muscle and my ankle, is feeling a bit numb and seems to be filling with water. Not a lot, just a noticeable swelling compared to my left leg. Again, it doesn't really hurt, but it does feel and seem odd. Obviously, I'm going to try to get an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. Until then, any ideas what might be going on with me?

He's neatly wedged under my laptop vent, having gleeful dreams while I worry...!

mu~ha~ha~ha~har — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:53:21 -0800

My kitty has a lump on the back of his leg. About the size of my thumbnail and under the skin. By 'back of leg' I mean that ruffle of fur on the edge of his flank/rump/upper thigh... bit. Should I post a pic? -Ask :) Anyway it's about in the middle of that section and slightly to the inside. It was quite firm but not hard and felt evenly textured (like a gummi bear? but more solid). He didn't even register when I stunbled upon it. It's not hot (infection) or 'ouchy' at all. I don't think it's hurting him. And I'm just about to investigate meticulously for more, but so far it's just that one. OMG!! My furry little man has cancer! Quick wise people... do you think it is? Maybe it's not, and before I wave him about in some poor vets face (and get billed accordingly!!) it's probably a good idea to ask. It could be nothing, right?

What could be causing morning leg soreness?

damn dirty ape — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:17:23 -0800

What could be causing morning leg soreness? For the last few months, perhaps last year and a half or so, I've been waking up with leg soreness, like I ran a couple miles before bed and didn't stretch. It usually disappears by the afternoon, but when its bad it may last longer. Sometimes its bad enough that I'm visibly walking a little funny. I'll bring this up next time I see a doctor but it happens infrequently enough that I keep forgeting.

Im in my 30s and have gained perhaps 10-15lbs in the last couple of years. I dont have restless leg syndrome. I'm not really doing any exercise other than walking around. Is this just a part of aging or is there another explanation?

Bird leg amputation

tellurian — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 04:51:40 -0800

I often see one-legged birds hopping around, usually pigeons or seagulls. What would be the most common cause of them losing one foot? I've read explanations like: cats; anti-pigeon foot-acid; standing in their own excrement; birth deformities. In the case of seagulls, I would imagine that there is a fair amount of fishing machinery and tackle that might cause an amputation, but what would cause pigeons in an urban environment to lose a foot? So, why not other birds, I can't recall seeing a one-legged Cockatoo, Kookaburra or Indian Mynah (the next three most common birds around here) at all.

RLS sufferer with new pain. What should I ask the doc?

Kickstart70 — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 17:17:50 -0800

I've got a continuing ache-y pain in my left leg in two spots. I also have been suffering restless leg syndrome (in both legs, but especially that one) for quite a while and recently (1.5 months ago) started taking Requip, which seems to help with the RLS. The ache-y pain is a recent thing though, starting about two weeks ago. What should I ask my doctor to check? I *am* going to see the doctor. I just want to go in there prepared to ask the right questions. Since RLS has been going on for a while, most prevalent in that leg, I'm beginning to be concerned that something more serious is happening and the RLS is really just a symptom of something else.

Since it pretty much requires an act of Congress to go to the doctor (much to my wife's chagrin), and I hate the idea of coming across as a hypochondriac, but I want to go in informed and knowledgable, what are the things I should bring up/request?

4 month old scar still hurts..

sirion — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:48:47 -0800

4-month old leg injury filter: I scraped up my leg really bad 4 months ago. It healed, it scarred, it still hurts. Now what? I tripped over a desk drawer this summer and got a lovely pair of 6-inch long scrapes on my left leg. The skin has healed and now there's a couple of big scars, which sucks, but is bearable.

Unfortunately, it feels like I still have a pair of 6-inch long bruises on my leg. They hurt when I touch them or when I'm standing for a long period of time. Can I do anything about it so long after it's healed?

I ask that blanket suggestions for 'Go see a doctor' be filtered through the no-medical-insurance-and-not-much-money-filter, and backed up by personal experience (I saw a ___ doctor and he/she gave me ____ and it magically fixed everything)

Thanks

Three legged puppy needs to fun fast!

stormygrey — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 07:25:19 -0800

Help my three legged German Shepard. My sweet five month old puppy was born missing one leg. He has the whole sholder mechanism, a severly truncated femur and a vestigial tibia.

He uses his stump alot to help climb up on things. The issue is that there is no muscle there and no padding. The tibia has a sharp point, he (obviously) falls a lot and thus is exposed to painful soft tissue damage almost constantly. His stump has filled with fluid twice. We get is asperated, but this will just eventually lead to infection.

The doctor presented us with two options. 1. Remove everything including the scapula. This would ensure that any "structure" causing the fluid buildup would be removed. This also opens up the chest area to a higher susciptibility of injury when running. This removal would also make it almost impossible to do a prosthesis when he is full grown. 2. Do reconstructive surgery to pad the area with muscle. They give us 50/50 that this would work.

It is a front leg that is missing and I know people tell me all the time that tripods do fine, but the ones that do fine are usually missing a back leg. His front arm gets extremely tired and he can't run and play or go up steps well like he wants. So we really want the prosthesis at some point.

Here is my idea: I want to create a leather sholder harness that goes over his body then encases his stump in sort of bean bagy/padded, something that will help protect those soft tissues. However, I have no idea about how to go about this. I will thinking I could create a vinyl prototype then take it to a bondage store, he would make a great mascott.

So help me think of ways to help my puppy or design this harness. Bonus points for something like doggy slipper socks with plenty of tread for his remaining front foot.

Weak in the Knees

sprocket87 — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 06:45:57 -0800

What can I do about weak and painful knees? I'm a 21 y.o. male with weak, creaking, grinding, and occasionally dislocating knees. Cause/options/suggestions? I'm a (just-turned) 21 year old male, and I have a problem: I have really cruddy knees. Both of my knees are weak and problematic. Each of them grinds noisily when climbing the stairs or if I stand from a squatting position.

Not only are they noisy but they also hurt - I can feel an awful weakness when climbing the stairs or carrying heavy loads, especially from a squat. They also feel dangerously likely to dislocate. If I'm carrying a heavy load and misplace a step even slightly, I can feel the joint misalign and almost slip out - an awful feeling (not painful in itself, but it's the awareness that it's about to dislocate). Even when running or exerting myself (playing catch, any sort of physical activity that relies in frequent change of direction, etc), I can tell that my knees are a very weak link and could go out any time.

I have dislocated my left knee twice. Interestingly, both times I've experienced a dislocation were while dancing. The first time I was just being silly when my joint popped sideways. I had just placed my weight on that leg so I immediately collapsed and it popped back in when I hit the ground. The second time I had a partner on my back and was doing some pretty intense spinning when it popped out badly and we both crashed to the floor. The joint popped back in when I hit the ground again.

The second dislocation was about 6 months ago. I've been wearing an elastic-nylon knee-brace on that left knee ever since, and it seems to help add some strength to the joint. I can tell it helps the reduce "almost dislocation" feelings greatly. My right knee has never dislocated that I can recall but it shares the same weaknesses as the left - in fact it often hurts more when climbing the stairs. Sometimes I switch my knee brace to the right knee just to provide a day of relief (I only have 1 brace at the moment).

So I'm wondering a couple things here: WHY am I experiencing this? I'm barely 21, I'm relatively in shape (6'1", 160lbs, slim build), and I've never done any regular team sports or anything. The only thing that I can think of that would have caused a permanent problem for me knees was when I was 14: I got hit head-on by a go-kart traveling 40-50mph. Someone was driving this home-built go-kart around this parking lot and thought it would be funny to drive toward me and dart away at the last second. Unfortunately he didn't let me in on his plans, and when I noticed him barrelling toward me I decided to jump out of the way. Well, he turned into me and hit my left leg square on - breaking both lower bones (tibia & fibula) clean in half. I spent the summer in a full leg cast from toe to groin, but it healed up quite nicely (though I do have a nice 6" scar to show off). I wonder if it stessed my left knee joint greatly. This doesn't explain the weakness in my right knee, however.

So why is this happening? And more importantly, what can I DO about it? I have a feeling I should see a doctor. Should I go to my family doctor or can I go to an orthopedic specialist directly (without referral from my family doctor)? What can I expect for treatment options and therapy? Is surgery a likelihood?

I have a pretty good insurance plan at my current job so if something really needs done then I suppose now is the best time to do it. Besides, I'm thinking that because I'm pretty young I should get this taken care of ASAP, because the longer I let it go the less they can do? Isn't it true that if I've lost some of my tendon/ligament/fleshy parts in the knee joint then it's only gonna get worse unless I get it fixed?

Sorry for the LONG post, but that's the whole story. Thanks for your thoughts and input.

My left leg is malfunctioning

pmbuko — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:16:56 -0800

I somehow injured a muscle or tendon in my left leg and now I can no longer lift the ball of my left foot off the ground when I'm standing. This started a couple days after Memorial Day weekend. I went camping and canoeing, but don't remember any event that might have caused this. Also, when I walk, I can't roll my left foot smoothly from heel to toe, as happens naturally with the right foot. Another symptom is that when laying down on my back and trying to flex my toes/feet toward my head, my left foot can't go much beyond perpendicular to the floor while my right makes a decidedly acute angle with my shin. Naturally, this condition alters my gait and is generally annoying.

I can still climb and descend stairs without trouble and there is no pain associated with this injury so I don't feel like I have to go running (ha!) to the doctor. I do often feel a dull unlocalizable discomfort that starts in my lower left buttock and goes down to my calf area. It hasn't gotten worse in the last few days, but it doesn't seem to be getting better, either.

What did I do to myself?

Whoever decided that "Break a Leg" means "Good Luck" should be fed to wolves.

solid-one-love — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 11:34:42 -0800

Any recommendations for physiotherapists in Vancouver, BC? Alternately, ideas as to what I should look for and/or avoid? Last time I posted a question asking for recommendations for a gimpy leg I got some help, so I thought I'd try again.

I broke my leg in three places just above the ankle three weeks ago and have plates and screws in place. My doctor has prescribed physiotherapy for me, but didn't (and wouldn't) recommend any providers. I now have about 20 degrees of range of motion in my ankle but cannot bear weight on it for another month.

I'm going to need to go in to physio a couple times a week for the next several months, and I need to go after work or on weekends. It would be preferable to find a provider somewhere between BCIT and 41st and Cambie (that is, more or less along my transit route), but that's not a dealbreaker.

I'm looking for recommendations from people who have dealt with physiotherapists in Vancouver. Also helpful would be things to look for and warning signs that indicate that I should avoid a provider (I'm 36 but have never had to undertake physio and am thus completely in the dark as to what to expect).

Thanks!

Leg Cramps

mattr — Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:42:28 -0800

[CrampFilter] My son woke up again last night with cramp in his legs...its painful for him, and disturbing for us...(morecrammedinside) He wakes up 2 or 3 times a month, with very painful cramp in his legs...we've tried increasing many of the food things recommended, typically foods that are high in potassium - bananas, oranges (including juice), milk and tomatoes. He eats a very healthy diet (more thanks to his mother than me), and takes a basic Vitamin C tablet each day during the autumn and winter to ward off colds.

The cramps are always in his legs...and wake him (and us) up in a lot of pain during the small hours...we end up rubbing his legs until he can get back to sleep, sometimes an hour later.

I'd love to be able to stop them for him and us...does anyone have any surefire remedies for cramp....either instant when it happens....or better still, prevention.

Leg Muscle Tightness

Mayor Curley — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 12:49:44 -0800

I've got a tightness in my left leg that bothers me when I run. It seems to eminate from behind my knee and I only notice it when I'm running. It may be related to a pain in my left glut that I get when I sit in the car for too long.

I blame it to an over-done set of leg presses about three weeks ago, and it hasn't gotten any better or worse. It's not debilitating, but it makes mile four a real chore. Anyone had a similar ache? Did it go away eventually?