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Old 06-06-2016, 07:13 PM
 
9,511 posts, read 5,371,219 times
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I couldn't find a seemingly suitable place for this in the Health forum so hopefully this will do. Mods can move it if they like I guess.

I noticed these last 6 or 8 months my legs and feet are more easily fatigued than they used to be. Simply walking up or down a few flights of stairs can make both feet and legs ache. Just last week I apparently strained my Achilles tendon and I'll be damned if I know how I did it. It seems to me that most tendons from the tips of my toes to my hips are sore. I know I don't have the strength in my legs I used to either.

This is not normal for me. I used to go on 5 mile hikes with my daughters and do it in 70 to 80 minutes with 40 lbs on my back. I work either in a rail yard or in the field on heavy machinery as a mechanic and required to wear heavy duty steel toed boots and walk on all kinds of surfaces from dirt to concrete. Sometimes long hours on my feet are required but I find myself a crude bench easily enough when needed and practical.

I've tried replacing my boots more often. I usually wear Cats going for about $150 a pair and have spent a lot of money on cushioned insoles and all that crap. Nothing seems to work.

I have been unlucky enough to injure myself just last year. I slipped off a ladder and landed on my butt on concrete. I gave myself a lumbar sprain as the doctor said and I'll never forget it. It was like getting kicked in the cajones every time I tried to get out the horizontal. I took 10 days off and went back to light work.

I'm 52. 6' 1" tall and weigh about 235 lbs. I'm top heavy, very wide shoulders and chest. People say I look like Steve Austin and while I can pinch an inch I'm not really overweight. I wear a size 9 boot, a doctor a long time ago said I should have a size 12. Thanx mom.

Has anyone ever noticed this in themselves? Is it just part of aging? Getting old? Any success in fighting this if you have experienced it?
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Old 06-06-2016, 07:33 PM
 
8,085 posts, read 5,210,738 times
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I would consult a vascular doc...I am a dance teacher & I noticed similar symptoms...

I ended up having surgery due to blocked arteries in both legs. That fatigued feeling is exactly what I had...
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Old 06-06-2016, 08:16 PM
 
9,511 posts, read 5,371,219 times
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Are we the same age? I was definitely considering that I seem to be okay otherwise but now that you mention it I remember my doctor years ago when dealing with my feet told me things like that can happen. If it doesn't go away I'm going to have it looked into but I would prefer not to go to a doctor yet.
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Old 06-06-2016, 08:41 PM
 
Location: Happy wherever I am - Florida now
3,360 posts, read 12,236,597 times
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Two thoughts - Are you taking any medications? Some statins can affect your muscles.

The fall onto cement. I did that and sprained my entire spinal column from my butt to my head from falling hard onto my bottom. My whole spinal column collapsed. I was bedridden for months and every system in my body went haywire from the torn ligaments and resulting impingement and shock to my nerve centers (your body's electrical system). My feet turned black and were flopping and I couldn't stand up, my heart experienced electric shocks, blood flow up my spine was disrupted and caused painful tissue death, I had internal bleeding, muscle spasms, and all my organs went screwy. Unable to even hold my head up without it flopping down for six months. I thought I was going to die.

It wasn't until my spine was stable that I thought it was safe to go to an old chiropractor who straightened out my hips and re-energized my feet. They tingled like crazy after his treatments but started healing. I still need to go from time to time if I don't exercise enough to keep muscles in shape and the old injury in check. (Doctors and the ER were useless)

Last edited by Sgoldie; 06-06-2016 at 08:57 PM..
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Old 06-07-2016, 06:25 AM
 
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No meds. The fall only affected my lower back and everything else was okay. The pain was excruciating for over a week and horizontal was the only position I was comfortable in. The lower back is where all of the nerves from your legs come together is what I heard but I have no pain or discomfort in my lumbar region.
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Old 06-07-2016, 06:26 AM
 
Location: US
243 posts, read 228,743 times
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Could be PAD or Peripheral Arterial Disease.
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Old 06-07-2016, 06:31 AM
 
Location: Paradise
4,865 posts, read 4,145,337 times
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Why the hesitation to go to a doctor?


I have problems with herniated discs in my lower back. It's not my back that hurts, it's my legs. Not to the point of weakness, but I can understand the symptoms you describe.


If you just go to your PCP and get the basic tests done (which you will need anyway): x-ray, MRI, blood work. You will need those things to go to a vascular doc or a neuro to determine any more severe problems.
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Old 06-07-2016, 11:21 AM
 
15,632 posts, read 24,324,447 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrat335 View Post
...The fall only affected my lower back and everything else was okay. The pain was excruciating for over a week and horizontal was the only position I was comfortable in. The lower back is where all of the nerves from your legs come together is what I heard but I have no pain or discomfort in my lumbar region.

You could have herniated a disc that, although not painful, is pressing on a nerve.
One symptom of a herniated disc in the lumbar region is muscle weakness in the legs.
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Old 06-07-2016, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Southern California
29,267 posts, read 16,612,883 times
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I deal with lower back OA (degenerative disc disease) and did my trips to docs and MRI's and I'm done...I have leg pain from lower back mess but stretch, do exercise as best I can. I did a long life of fairly strong exercise but not fanatic but I guess fanatic enough...I've done damage from my years of working out. Now it's gentle work, D.O. work, acupuncture and ice/heat....and walking as best I can and REST. I rest a lot but I didn't rest all my early life.
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Old 06-07-2016, 11:56 AM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
11,495 posts, read 26,767,263 times
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I felt like my legs were always tired and weak and like tendons or ligaments would be dragging against things and getting stuck. It got bad enough that I couldn't walk around the block without having to sit down and rest. I don't like going to the doctor, so I didn't go. I tried eliminating things from my diet in case that would help. It didn't. Eventually something else came up that forced me to go to the doctor and have a bunch of tests run. I was diagnosed with diabetes. I finally mentioned the leg pain and they said it was probably nerve damage, gave me a prescription for it, and within two weeks I could walk again without pain. It felt great being able to keep up with my kids again.

Anyhow, no clue what's going on with your legs but problems like that don't get better with time, they get worse, so go get checked out.
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