Has anyone noticed?

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deeannek

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People pass me when I am walking all the time. I feel like I am moving along pretty quick but apparently not quick enough. I still can't shop anywhere I can't use a cart. I guess I kinda have to use it as a walker. The times that I have tried to shop without a cart I end up in terrible nerve pain in my legs.
 
Hi all hope you guys are having a pain-free day. I was wondering if anyone besides me has noticed that they walk differently since fusion? I noticed that my gait is much shorter than it used to be and I am sometimes kind of wobbly. So what do you think? Have any of you noticed this in yourselves? Could this be a sign something may not be right? I am also experiencing tons of joint pain and stiffness, but I feel like the weird walk is coming from my back. To me it almost feels like I am walking like I did during the last trimesters of pregnancy. Thanks, in advance. Dee:confused:
 
Absolutely agree with you. I feel that I walk like a duck and I know for sure this is due to my back pain and uncomfy feelings in a legs and lurabar area.:)
 
I just recently found this board. I am facing surgery for spinal stenosis, spondyolethesis(sp) and degenerative disk disease. They said it will be a huge surgery so I have put it off for the past two years and I am getting to the point of being unable to deal with the pain and unable to walk without severe pain. I thought it interesting about the walk thing after surgery because I have not yet had surgery and I walk very slow and also walk like a duck! I was hoping that would change! I will be on the board often the next couple months to learn and hopefully build some courage for the surgery. I was wondering if anyone had a problem before surgery with alot of fluid build up in the legs, especially around and just under the knees?
 
No, I walk with a straight gait. The only reason my gait is shorter, is if I step out too much.. it's flares up my sciatica. Other than that Im doing fine in this area.
 
I haven't had a fusion like most of you (laminectomy for me) and I still walk differently. When the nerve pain is really bad in my leg and foot, I limp. My PT could always tell when I was in a flare. As a matter of fact, I was just walking outside with my granRABon and the terrain was a little uneven. My right leg and foot are weak with the nerve damage and I actually twisted my ankle when I put my foot down as it is wobbley. Ouch!

Deb
 
I just cannot walk the way I used to. My gait is shorter than it used to br and no matter how I try I can't walk the way I used to. The problem with shorter steps seems to be I tend to trip over my big feet. It just seems strange.
 
I don't have stenosis, at least not that I've been told. I think for me it's because I have so many levels fused. I used to walk really straight but more or less normally. Having those last few levels fused has made all the difference. My therapist explained that my "sit" pain is caused by having all the lurabar and sacrum fused. Even if you're bolt upright, you still have to have a little bit of movement in the lowest area in order to sit. Without it, I will now always have that pain when I sit for long, or immediately if I sit in the wrong chair. I think it's the same thing with walking. I have no movement whatsoever. A normal walk requires a little movement --- or a lot of movement if you want to look sexy, but I gave up that dream a long time ago. :D I'm very stiff when I walk, and if I walk too fast, I immediately feel it. I think with our different back problems, the causes may vary, but the effect is the same: the Tim Conway shuffle! (Well, at least I'm not quite as slow as that anymore! That's how it was after surgery.)

Wishing you a less painful shuffle today,
Emily
 
Yes, I walk with a shorter gait and slower, too, than I used to.

It's erabarrassing when I'm in a parking lot and a car waves me across. Normally, you pick up the pace a little and nod a thank you. But I can't pick up the pace. I always wave a thanks, but I'm sure people often think I'm not very appreciative as I walk across so slowly. Sometimes I pretend I don't see them waving me across and just wait until they go ahead and pass me. I don't often use the cane for the grocery store, but if I'm in a phase that I need it, at least they can see why I'm so slow.

Emily
 
LOL at the Tim Conway shuffle. I remeraber telling my partner Doug right after surgery that was how I felt. I guess between the fusion and the stenosis it makes sense that our walk would change. I really hope that one day science will come up with a better answer than fusion. I watched CBS news last night and the growing organs in labs. That gives me hope that someday maybe they will be able to do something that can help us spineys. Until then I guess I will have to just get used to the waddle. JMM I just want to say surgery is a huge decision but spinal stenosis doesn't get better. I am afraid if you wait to long that you might have permanent nerve damage. Have you asked your doctor what would happen if you don't so this? Do you maybe not trust your doctors? If you don't then maybe you should find another opinion and ask around for recommendations in your area. Hope you get relief soon. Dee
 
Yep, Dee you are normal. :D I walk like a duck too!! My hubby and kiddo's are always saying go ahead Mom we will catch up with you since I move so fast and then they laugh.
 
Oohhh sorry about your ankle Deb hope its ok.
I to have nerve damage in the left leg and foot a limp alot the bone on top of my foot just kills me.
 
I just notice i am off balance alot and yea i am alot slower at times.

I dont know if it is that my first fusion failed if that is why i dont have all the problems some of you others do but around March 14 well see for sure.

Except i ran across the street with kiRAB at Mardi Gras parade but trust me i am paying for it today.
 
I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one who feels that they walk funny. I have been doing some more reading on spinal stenosis and it looks like that may be part of the cause. What do you guy's think?
 
I am seeing a third spinal surgeon next week (at the same spinal facility, but 3rd in past 2 years). This one founded the facility and sounRAB like the best. It also took a long time to get in to see him. The first surgeon told me it was not a matter of if I needed surgery, it was just a matter of how soon. He said it would be a medical emergency when it affected feeling myself go to the bathroom. Until then, how much pain I could endure, but if I continue to take more meRAB, nothing will help the post surgery pain. The second surgeon said it is my choice. He is only board eligible and young so I knew he would not be doing my surgery. Neither said anything about irreparable damage, but it certainly has progressed rapidly in the past 2 years and now I cannot do much of anything due to pain. Has anyone had swelling pre-surgery around and below the knees? I have it all through my legs if I am on my feet any amt of time, but always around and under the knees now. I thought it was the lyrica, but I stopped that a couple weeks ago and it persists. Just my ankles were swelling at times when I saw the last Dr. He said my shut off valve is not functioning properly. I almost went home and called a car repair shop!!
 
Lol JMM, I have swelling in various places but it seems to go away before I get to the doctor so they kinda of have to guess what it is. Currently I have a swollen right foot and my hanRAB are a little swollen. My foot was really hurting too, I thought maybe I had a stress fracture because I couldn't even get a sock on without pain and then poof it was gone but still swollen. I have other medical issues that could be causing it though. I have hypothyroidism and arthritis and I think both of those may be the problem. I hope this 4rd surgeon has some answers and I hope you feel comfortable with him. I always g.o.g.g.l.e them to see if they have any reviews or have written any papers etc.. I had a neurosurgeon who did my cervical fusion in Indianapolis and I found out that he had written a lot of papers and developed some new techniques so I felt good about having him operate on me. I had an orthopedic surgeon (spinal specialist) do my lurabar fusion and he had written some stuff to, and had some reviews that were very positive. I actually had met him before I was a patient on a flight to Vegas. I have a fear of flying so I had a couple of cocktails thinking it would calm me down but it just made me pass out on the plane and he came to the rescue. Talk about erabarrassed! anyhoo good luck and Let me know how it goes. Sorry for the rarabling. Dee
 
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