Alleviating night-time foot discomfort

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Vivienne47

Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2022
Messages
28
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
08/2022
Country
UK
State
KE
City
Crockham Hill
At risk of stating the obvious, if you have foot drop caused by ALS this can lead to extreme night-time discomfort. This is due to the contraction of the opposing calf muscles, which will pull the foot downwards and inwards and set up all sorts of tensions in the leg above.
I have tried a number of night-time supports, but many of these are bulky and don't tackle the inward twist. The one I find most useful currently is a simple polycarbonate L shaped AFO orthosis, bent over hot steam to a 'resting' angle of about 15 degrees wider than the set position for walking. It has a velcro calf strap. I use a silk scarf to hold my foot in place, which makes it much more manoeuvrable under the covers than anything I have previously tried and is softer on the skin than horrible velcro straps. It's fiddly to put on and I have to use a bit of micropore tape to keep the calf support from twisting, so I'd be interested in anything else that folk have tried.
 
Long shot - could you get your calcium, magnesium, vit D, and sodium levels checked?
 
I always get the urge to stretch my legs straight from 4 am onward, which wakes me up. Every stretch is a high chance to cramp, awful for my sleep quality.
 
Someone I know suggested CBD oil applied to the skin for cramps. Also I think there is a med for this, I forget what it's called. Does stretching during the day help?

Personally, when my calcium is low, my cramps are worse.
 
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