I need an Internet Doctor Opinion

Okay, let me just preface this with I am under a doctor's (orthopedist) care. My orthopedist seems more interested in my $50 copay then helping me. I might be doing him a disservice, but that is how I feel.

Anyway, long story short I've been running for about a year. I've very gradually worked up to about 20 miles per week. Then I began to have numb feet. I don't mean my feet were falling alseep either. They were constantly tingly. I went to the doctor who sent me for a bone scan. Turns out I had multiple stress fractures in both legs in both the distal and proximal tibias. Ok. My doctor kept asking me about shin pain. I didn't really have any.

So 10 weeks of not running later the tinglies are gone. Wednesday I got cleared to very gradually start to run again. During my 10 weeks of no running I have done a lot of swimming, stationary bike (which I hate) and for the last 3 weeks elliptical. Doctor had me doing only no impact for the first 7 weeks.

Wednesday night, with a big sh1t eating grin on my face I hopped on the treadmill. I walked for 10 minutes, jogged at 4.5mph for 15 minutes (walking a minute in between each 5 minute interval to see how my legs felt) and then walked another 10 minutes. I kept the walk slow at 3mph and had the incline set at .5. It felt amazing. No pain, no numbness.

Thursday morning I had some tingling in my right foot. I took a rest day.

Friday I started with my same treadmill plan. However when I started to jog, about 3 minutes in I felt tightness/fullness in my left shin. I immediately stopped jogging and walked for about 5 minutes. I could still feel it, so I switched to elliptical.

Today, my shins are itchy. Like healing wound itchy and my right foot is numb.

So after my disertation here are my questions.

1. Has anyone experienced anything like this?
2. I'm assuming the stress fractures aren't healed like we thought, but could this be compartment syndrome?
3. How long should I wait before trying to run again? Would it be ok to rest today and if I have no tinglies try a jog on Sunday?
4. Should I go to a podiatrist instead, could this be a mechanics issue? The orthopedist does nothing. He has me come in, asks me how I feel and charges me $50.

I feel like maybe there is some underlying problem causing the stress fractures. Why wouldn't they heal in 10 weeks of no to low impact activity?

I'm probably a hypochondriac, but I'd be interested in hearing the opinion of other runners. I miss running terribly. Wednesday was like the best day I've had in months.

Replies

palmettoadventurer

It's lupus.

Seriously, though, I would find a new doctor if you don't think your current one is giving you an adequate standard of care.

IsaackGMOON

palmettoadventurer wrote: »

It's lupus.

Seriously, though, I would find a new doctor if you don't think your current one is giving you an adequate standard of care.

beemerphile1

Let me preface by saying, your body has to last the rest of your life. Don't be in a rush to get back into running. Ten weeks is a very short time compared to all the years you have remaining.

You obviously haven't healed yet and more running will do more damage. Stick with swimming and bicycling for a while.

mbaker566

palmettoadventurer wrote: »

It's lupus.

Seriously, though, I would find a new doctor if you don't think your current one is giving you an adequate standard of care.

yup, I poked around till I found drs that I liked.

PinkyPan1

Save your $50 here's my 2 cents....I suffer from shin splints and I constantly have that tingling and itchy feeling. I spent the winter strengthening my shins daily only to find the minute I started power walking at 4.5 and higher speeds that the tingling, numbness and sore shins reappeared. I now golf and pull my cart the 5.5 miles up and down the coarse and the itchy tingling feeling appears when I stand up from bed in the morning. I take Ibuprofen, icy hot and suck it up. I would suggest finding another doctor. Good luck and I hope you find relief and answers to this.

Vune

I'm certainly not a doctor, and agree that you should find one who is willing to look at your case from multiple angles, but I'm wondering if maybe you need to strengthen your bones before getting back to high impact exercise.

JoRocka

easy way to tell if it's shin splits is tape them puppies up- start bottom outside of the ankle- run a diagonal line to the inside of the knee- tape inside ankle to the outside of the knee- go bottom to top- don't do top to bottom.

If one piece doesn't feel adequate- do 5" in strips and do like reverse layered armor X's from the bottom to the top.

It pulls the fascia up and close to the body- if you have shin splints it'll feel better almost immediately.

enterdanger

@PinkyPan1 just to hear that someone else has the itchy tinglies is relieving. My doctor kept telling me that isn't a normal presentation but then offers no alternatives. I went to my regular doctor before the stress fracture diagnosis. I usually see the nurse practitioner (who I really like), but that day I saw the actual doctor. That idiot wanted to test me for MS AGAIN. It's like his solution for everything.

The shins and numbness actually don't bother me too much. It's more annoying than painful.

Thanks for the lupus diagnosis. lol. Love the House gif.

Oh, and as to the muscle build up, I've been running 3 times a week for about 14 months. My long days were up to about 8 miles before I really had any issues. I run both on hard surface and treadmill. Before the stress fracture issue I was also doing quite a bit of leg weights and circuit at least once a week. Wouldn't my bones be strong from that stuff?

I'm kinda dumb when it comes to exercise. I run. I pick up heavy stuff and put it down. I swim laps. I never exercised a day in my life until I was in my 30's. I'm 36 now.

unknown

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bibimazoon

Why not see a podiatrist? Couldn't hurt, right? And may offer better insight

PS I love my podiatrist

he has performed miracles for my feet

pzarnosky

Get off the tredmill. For some people they're great, for others they're not. I got crippling shin splints this winter training for a 25k on a tredmill. I can outside everyday on pavement or trails and be fine. If i run on tredmills too consistently, the shin splints come back. Most think tredmills are better because there's no terrain changes, and because they're softer on the joints. But for me the tredmill is too soft and with my body mechanics, it was forcing certain muscles to over work to compensate. Give the road or trail a try when you feel better, maybe that will help.

Ninkyou

I used to get a numbish/stretched feeling in my foot when I was hiking. Turns out it was a compressed nerve when my foot was flexed. Losing weight fixed it for me. But I'm not sure what the solution would be if there wasn't weight loss involved and it was purely fitness related.

yirara

Run outside. Other than that: if the numbness remains I'd insist of some neurological test and a blood panel. Reasons for tingling could be many: shin splints (then really take a break), something on your lower spine, B12 deficiency, maybe your shoes are too slim and you need a wider model, or completely different shoes

emdeesea

I would set the treadmill to a 2 percent incline. A trainer once told me that set at 2 percent it mimics being outside and reduces the stress on shins.

Honestly, I would just stop running and do something else. *shrug* I get numb feet when I use the elliptical, so I just don't use the elliptical and I don't get numb feet.

vypressme

Even if it's because of shin splints, it's indirect - numbness/tingling/abnormal sensations are caused by nerve damage or compression. What causes tue nerve damage is a different question. I would see a neurologist.

giantrobot_powerlifting

Your foot numbness might be a factor of your shoes being tied way too tight.

enterdanger

Thanks for all the suggestions. I called my doctor to report that things weren't right and like a dumba$$ he was "Stop running right away!" Duh. Like I was still on the treadmill from last night. lol.

Shoes are good. I've had them fitted at a running store and am in a wide width already. I was right on the edge of wide or regular and from past running experience I knew that I prefer my toes nice and loose rather than even the slightest bit tight. I'm certain this isn't a shoe issue. I also don't have the numbness when I run. I get it when not running so it's not shoe's tied to tight. I do get the itchy, full feeling in my shins when running.

I do prefer to run outside. I generally only run inside if the weather is super awful. The ortho wanted me on soft surface for starting back up and suggested the treadmill.

He wants me to come back to the office so we can "talk about my options." I'm debating. Why can't he tell me my options over the phone? Why do I need to lose an hour of my life and $50 just to discuss options?

jrodri0105

Try taking some supplements such as magnesium at bed time may help.

http://drsircus.com/medicine/magnesium/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms-diagnosis

You can't really over dose on magnesium. Its very difficult to get enough in your diet.

I take two pills at bedtime. It helps with sleep, muscle soreness. It has helped my husband with tingling.

It is not compartment syndrome. Trust me you would know if you had this. The amount of pain is not tolerable.

LKArgh

Not a dr, but what I would do in your place, especially if symptoms got better while not running, would be to get completelly off running for the next months, forget the bike too as it also puts pressure in the area, and focus on swimming, then add walking. If all was fine e.g. by the end of summer, then I would add intervals of running and see how things progress.

Azdak

enterdanger wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions. I called my doctor to report that things weren't right and like a dumba$$ he was "Stop running right away!" Duh. Like I was still on the treadmill from last night. lol.

Shoes are good. I've had them fitted at a running store and am in a wide width already. I was right on the edge of wide or regular and from past running experience I knew that I prefer my toes nice and loose rather than even the slightest bit tight. I'm certain this isn't a shoe issue. I also don't have the numbness when I run. I get it when not running so it's not shoe's tied to tight. I do get the itchy, full feeling in my shins when running.

I do prefer to run outside. I generally only run inside if the weather is super awful. The ortho wanted me on soft surface for starting back up and suggested the treadmill.

He wants me to come back to the office so we can "talk about my options." I'm debating. Why can't he tell me my options over the phone? Why do I need to lose an hour of my life and $50 just to discuss options?

Maybe because his professional time is not free?

htimpaired

I feel your pain, literally. My story is pretty similar to yours. About 7 weeks ago I gave myself a rest because I thought my hamstrings were tender and could use the break. During the break my calves seized up, and have been in a constant state of tightness, with intermittent pain ever since. I have not had a meaningful workout in this entire time. The pain feels like a sharp needle jamming into my calf muscle. Sometimes while at rest I feel these weird sensations, like the muscle is shifting. Sometimes they feel swollen. Never are they pain/tightness free.
I have been to PT, who prescribes me stretching and strength training. I have seen my doctor, who prescribed muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories. They did an ultrasound to rule out DVT. Referred me to ortho, who I saw this past tuesday. She prescribed a topical anti-inflammatory to add to the medicine cabinet full of meds. Told me to wear my arch supports all the time, not just for running (like I could run, HAH!). So I have been doing all these things. I have soaked in epsom salt baths. I have used heat. Ice. wrapped with ace banaged for compression.
And here I am, still in pain, unable to do what I love, which is running/working out.

When I read your post, I thought of compartment syndrome, but I could just have it on the brain because I've worried about having it myself. I may not be able to provide any advice the others haven't already given, as if you feel that way about your ortho, get a new one pronto. We (and our insurance companies) are paying good money for their care.
At the very least, you're not alone in this struggle. Hang in there.

htimpaired

jrodri0105 wrote: »

Try taking some supplements such as magnesium at bed time may help.

http://drsircus.com/medicine/magnesium/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms-diagnosis

You can't really over dose on magnesium. Its very difficult to get enough in your diet.

I take two pills at bedtime. It helps with sleep, muscle soreness. It has helped my husband with tingling.

It is not compartment syndrome. Trust me you would know if you had this. The amount of pain is not tolerable.

I agree with the magnesium, I have added that to my meds as well. can't hurt, right?
But why not compartment syndrome? Acute Compartment Syndrome, yes, I agree, it's an emergency condition of excruciating pain. But chronic exersional compartment syndrome, everything I've read states that it builds up over time, worsens with activity, not necessarily bone-breaking pain, but enough to totally disrupt your quality of life...

kittyr77

jrodri0105 wrote: »

Try taking some supplements such as magnesium at bed time may help.

http://drsircus.com/medicine/magnesium/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms-diagnosis

You can't really over dose on magnesium. Its very difficult to get enough in your diet.

I take two pills at bedtime. It helps with sleep, muscle soreness. It has helped my husband with tingling.

It is not compartment syndrome. Trust me you would know if you had this. The amount of pain is not tolerable.

you can overdose on magnesium - and it will give you the shitters :-)

CBPT1975

Maybe ask for a referral to a physical therapist at who could help you come up with a comprehensive plan to return to running?

fbinsc

Could those compression leggings help? I've had peripheral numbness in my hands but mine is a nerve issue not triggered by running. Good luck I hope you get it sorted out soon

Alluminati

You have shingles. Get it? Shin-gles.

unknown

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enterdanger

ha ha @odesangel. I had a weekend of no impact on the legs and everything feels good, like I could run. I might give this Doc one more chance. I mean I've already spent $200 for him to tell me to rest it, what's another $50. He seems to not believe in surgery at all, but Dr. Google says that in some cases fasciotomy is highly successful in treating compartment syndrome. I'm only 36. If it comes down to never doing any high impact exercise again or surgery I'm picking surgery.

enterdanger

just an update. I went to my same orthopedist today and he has thrown in the towell. He doesn't know why 6-12 hours after I run I get itchy shins and numb feet. He is referring me to a second orthopedist for a second opinion and I suggested a neurologist based on the suggestions here. Once I asked if he thought it was a nerve issue he was onboard with that. Who knows? Maybe I have bum nerves. I did have the carpal surgery on both hands at a pretty young age.

Elise4270

New doc is absolutely in order. Could it be something like chronic exertion compartment syndrome?

Edit Oops.. Just read your previous post.. Good luck with the new doc. It's taken me 3+
years and 6 docs to get on track.