foot numbness

[GMO2003]

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I know this is not the appropriate forum to seek out medical advice...maybe the neurologist folk could help me better...but nonetheless here goes...

I've been experiencing 2 weeks of numbness over the lateral aspect of my left foot...no associated foot drop, weakness in plantar flexion...it's just that I have mild loss of sensation over the lateral left foot...I wear have to wear boots with my BDUs everyday and this may have something to with it...any thoughts...should I be worried?

 

[ecpiii]

You are correct, this is not the best place to get med advice. Sounds like S1. It won't cause foot drop-that's L5. Your dorsi-flexion will actually predominate. Lots of possibilities for why. Start by getting it checked out by your PMD. What the hell is a BDU?

 

[ecpiii]

Wait, I just re-read your post. You DONT have plantar flexion weakness yet. Now there are even more possibilities. Tell your PMD. May be as simple as the boots, or what-ever-the-hell-a-BDU-is.

 

[RangerD]

You are correct, this is not the best place to get med advice. Sounds like S1. It won't cause foot drop-that's L5. Your dorsi-flexion will actually predominate. Lots of possibilities for why. Start by getting it checked out by your PMD. What the hell is a BDU?

BDU = Battle Dress Uniform

He's obviously a soldier. 👍

 

[GMO2003]

You are correct, this is not the best place to get med advice. Sounds like S1. It won't cause foot drop-that's L5. Your dorsi-flexion will actually predominate. Lots of possibilities for why. Start by getting it checked out by your PMD. What the hell is a BDU?

I am a PMD...well a GMO (General Medical Officer)...I was thinking possibly of sural nerve compression due to the very tight fitting boots that I have to wear with my BDU=Battle Dress Uniform...jeez, I wish I could just wear Bs..that would be great

 

[NSGYRes]

Wait, I just re-read your post. You DONT have plantar flexion weakness yet. Now there are even more possibilities. Tell your PMD. May be as simple as the boots, or what-ever-the-hell-a-BDU-is.

Even with S1 radiculopathy, plantar flexion weakness is a very late finding. There has to be some pretty severe injury to the nerve to show as plantar flexion weakness. This has a lot to do with the extreme muscle mass of the gastrocnemius and soleus in comparision to the tibialis anterior (dorsi flexion) weakness you get with L5 radiculopathy. L5 radiculopathy can have DF weakness relatively early, though paresthesias usually will preceed it.

The posters above are right. This is likely sural nerve compression due to tight fitting boots. The sural nerve supplies the sensation to the lateral aspect of the foot and has no motor components to it. It is a common nerve used in biopsy for peripheral neuropathy diagnosis.

Later.