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Charles22

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Learn about ALS
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Texas
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Dallas
I posted to this forum a few months ago after my symptoms started. At that time I had neck stiffness and pain, body wide twitching but constant in my lower legs and some swallowing problems.

Symptoms have come and gone over the past 3 months. My neck pain and stiffness dissipated. My swallowing issues are hardly noticible. I have no aspiration, choking or regurgitation, never did. Just had to swallow twice in the past. I had facial and lip muscle fatigue for awhile but that is gone. I have had pain in my thumb joints, shoulders and bottom of my feet.

The reason for todays visit: On January 14th while running I noticed the muscles that hold my foot up on my left leg were getting very fatigued. It went away and then reappeared the next time I ran. yesterday I ran and the fatigue forced me to stop running after only a mile and a half. I can still walk on my heels and I cant tell that there is any actual weakness, just muscle fatigue. I would be grateful if anyone can tell me how there foot drop started. Was it a slow progression of fatigue and pain that eventually weakened to the point of foot drop? Could you feel that muscle giving you a dull pain all day long? I had a clean EMG in September on the other leg. Do you think I should go back and retest? Thank you so much for your time.
 
Looks like you’re clear of ALS.

In ALS, symptoms do not come and go, they only get worse.

The clean EMG in September is very reassuring.

The fatigue in your legs is most likely mechanical. It could be that you need orthotics to improve the alignment in your feet/ ankles/ legs. Or you may need knee braces, if there is malalignment in your knees. An evaluation by orthopedist could help. You might benefit from physical therapy.

You ask about foot drop. My first failure was foot drop. I noticed my gait was abnormal and that I couldn’t stand on my heels or my toes. I had no muscle fatigue, pain, odd sensation, or feeling of weakness. The muscles just didn’t work to enable those actions.
 
Thank you Karen,

That is very interesting. I have had two surgeries on the knee on that leg and never fully regained the muscle mass back. It changed my running form for sure. I will look into different shoes and maybe wearing my brace. Its just odd as I have been running off and on for two years since the last surgery and havent had this problem. This muscle fatigue is certainly something I can feel but there is no atrophy that I can see.
 
Sounds like you have shin splints. Have you changed your running shoes recently? It can be as simple as the sole material being packed down from wear and tear. Or you have new shoes and they have a higher heel ( as little as 1/8th of an inch) can cause more stress on the tibialis anterior and cause fatigue, pain, that sort of thing. A clean EMG is your get out of jail free card as far as ALS goes. Now, do your Happy Dance!
Vincent
 
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