Exercise with nerve damage

[Injecto]

Should you exercise if you have nerve damage/peripheral neuropathy in your leg/foot?

I'm thinking that exercise would just make things worse.

[Subby]

Injecto, is this diagnosed by the doctor? What do they suggest? I understand activity to be vital to help increase blood flow and regeneration. I also understand that may cause pain but to expect it. I found this with what seemed to be the case for myself with what I understood to be early, largely reversible neuropathy.

But the most important thing to say is my experience and knowledge is very limited. I just don't know what is right for your circumstance.

If you've been diagnosed with a certain type of neuropathy (I was casually reading the other day there are over 100 different types!), surely medical advice pertaining to the diagnosis is going to be the safest and surest way to proceed.

[fgummett]

I agree that medical advice is important here.

Other considerations are that:

1) if there is any loss of feeling you need to be extra careful of any potential damage -- decent well-fitted walking shoes (emptied of pebbles etc...), clean dry socks, watch out for broken glass, heat or cold sources etc...

2) avoiding activity because of pain can be counter-productive if the muscles may waste away, joints stiffen and circulation becomes impeded... sometimes taking a painkiller can help

I'd stick with low-impact activity such as walking and consider working with a physiotherapist.

[Injecto]

Injecto, is this diagnosed by the doctor? What do they suggest?

No. It's not diagnosed, but I'm not one to sit and wait forever for a Dr to get back to me. I have an appointment with the Dr. on Monday to get the referral for the electrical physiological test, which will probably be 3-4 weeks from Monday, and then another 2 weeks for me to get the results.

[Subby]

OK Injecto. I completely understand the frustration with waiting periods with doctors. I just think this is something worth getting expert advice on as to whether and what exercise is good, because it seems the kind of thing with likely specific medical advice, that was what I was getting at. I guess if you mean while waiting to see a doctor, caution seems fair enough. Might be a good question to pop to the doc on monday, even if the tests aren't run at that stage.

[RobW]

I have been diagnosed with neuropathy in my feet and legs, any exerciseis good just be very careful and check offten for blisters and such. Pain pills do nothing for me, my toes feel like there in a vice, then it stops and they are ice cold. Don't wait, see a Dr.
Robw

[Nifr]

I just saw my endo today for a regular follow up visit. I had a herniated disc 5-6 weeks ago that caused numbness and tingling in my lower leg and foot, which has still not resolved completely. I was anxious to find out what he thought about exercise and he told me none as long as I still have numbness because I could fall and get hurt in some other way (and it would be my luck that that would happen).

This is a bit different from your situation but I would still be very careful about what you do if you decide to do something.