Lower Leg Pain

[Faith]

For the last 2 months or so I have been really struggling with superficial "knots" in what I think are the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis muscles (pictured here http://tinyurl.com/6rloajd )

Sometimes I take a rolling pin to them to try to get the "knots" out, but I have to be careful because it can aggrevate the peroneal nerve. Even with massaging and stretching though I can't seem to get rid of them. I am sure I have underlying muscle imbalance that is the cause. but I wondered if anyone else has issues with pain in these muscles? I am trying to figure out if it is related to my SIJD or from nerve cross-talk from the PN? It seems strange though it would be related to the PN because I do not have any nerve pain in my upper legs only burning in my feet and sometimes along the peroneal nerve if the muscles are really clamping down.

I have very high arches in my feet so I mostly wear Dansko clogs so I thought maybe that was the cause of the pain, but I've been wearing them pretty much nonstop for the last year so I don't know why it started now, but it is making it really difficult to stand hardly at all.

I have no idea what kind of doctor or if a PT could figure this pain out (I'm not currently in PT). I am a nurse, but I am SO tired of being my own doctor!

[Karyn]

Hi Faith,
I also have lower leg pain. I'll fill you in on the details when I have a little more time, but .... I recently had an MRI for my feet and ankles. I've had chronic leg muscle tightness for years and was surprised the MRI picked up "edema in the fat posterior to the FHL (Flexor Hallucis Longus)". I had to discontinue acupuncture treatments for my feet in November because when she'd put the needles in the back of my calves, I'd get this ripping/tearing sensation in the bottom of my heels. I could be wrong, but I really think my leg and foot problems are coming from the sacral nerve roots. I think a lot of it also has to do with waaaaaaay too much standing in one spot for long periods of time. I have an appointment with an Orthopaedic MD in a couple of weeks. Trying not to get my hopes up too much about someone being able to help me. Have you ever seen an Ortho?
Best regards,
Karyn

[Faith]

Hi Faith,
I could be wrong, but I really think my leg and foot problems are coming from the sacral nerve roots. I think a lot of it also has to do with waaaaaaay too much standing in one spot for long periods of time. I have an appointment with an Orthopaedic MD in a couple of weeks. Trying not to get my hopes up too much about someone being able to help me. Have you ever seen an Ortho?
Best regards,
Karyn

I have been wondering a lot about sacral nerve root entrapment. The surgeon in Turkey (can't remember his name right now) mentions that he can decompress the sacral nerve roots in his laproscopic approach. I saw this on the long thread Shawn posted a few weeks back. I asked Shawn if he had more info about sacral nerve entrapment but didn't get a response. I have tried to research this some, but can't find anything much. I would think though if I had sacral nerve root entrapement I would have burning all the way up and down my legs. What do you think?

I've read that the peroneal muscles are innervated by L4,L5, S1, S2 and I see that the Flexor Hallucis Longus is innervated by L5, S1, S2 so I think it could be a mixture of cross talk, but probably more likley SIJD. I am hypermobile so my legs/back are having to support my SI joint since my ligaments are shot (that's my opinion anyways). It's interesting you have this pain too since you also have SIJD. I agree I think a lot of this is from the stress of standing all the time. I don't do that anymore though.

I haven't seen an ortho, but I have seen 3 physical medicine and rehabilitation docs (basically orthos who don't do surgery) and they weren't much help. Other than saying I had SIJD and to do PT, but PT never worked.

Keep me updated on what you find out.