How does foot weakness present?

[CindyM]

Don't be too naive.

OK- so you found me out! I will point out, however, that sometimes being oblivious has its merits! :lol:

 

[suzannj]

WOW . . . a choking the chicken reference . . . .haven't heard that one since I dated a keeee-nuck years ago! I actually "LOL'd" when I read that!

Not at all indicating that I think Blinza has a reason to worry, but I have to say that I too have wondered (and this is probably an excellent Wright question) when performing the EMG, does the needle have to be in the exact spot of denervation? The needle is very thin, the muscle / muscles are much larger. If the needle hits one spot, and that spot is "clean" but just so happens the area 1cm away is denervated, would the EMG pick that up? Then again, if that scenario was correct, an EMG would take days and everyone would come out looking like a pin cushion so my guess is that the needle just has to be in the general area that may potentially be affected (or is that effected? I can never remeber that rule! LOL) Is that what you were really asking Blinza?

 

[olly]

while we are on what emg,s can pick up i have a question.
some say on there emg,s it shows atrophy up,is that atrophy that is not obviously seen by eye? the begining of atrophy?
obviously atrophy seen by eye would not need a emg to tell if it was there or not.
i think this is a question for you wright.
sorry for any undiagnosed anxiety by this question,it has just been bugging me for a while now.

 

[wright]

Suzanne

No, the needle does not have to be in the exact spot of denervation. If the EMG is done properly, the needle should first be stuck into the muscle at about a 90 degree angle and then manipulated by tilting it to the left . . . then to the right . . . then forward . . . then backward. That will allow the needle to detect electrical activity in all different directions within the muscle.


Olly

The EMG does not detect muscle atophy per se. Rather, it detects denervation that will lead to muscle atrophy (if it is not already seen clinically) if that denervation is active and ongoing.


Now on to the most important point of this thread: "choking the chicken"

I wasn't going to say anything after I read it (of course I couldn't type anything at first because I was laughing too hard) and was simply going to wait and see if anyone else had noticed. KTMJ was "brave" enough to point it out to those who didn't get it (good for you). Al, you are too funny.

 

[olly]

thankyou for the answer to my question wright,that makes sense now.

ok everyone it may be an american/canadian thing but i dont get the "choking the chicken" joke.
i presumed you ment a bird chicken but get the impression its something else i dont want to know about:shock:

 

[Zaphoon]

You just have to love how they move that EMG needle around in your muscle - I do! Give me more! And while you're at it, crank up the voltage on that NCV machine, too! Yeah, baby!

Haven't heard anyone talk about choking chickens since I left sea life in the Navy. Brought back some memories (ahem)...

Zaphoon

 

[olly]

talk about dirty emg,s...............you lot have dirty minds:roll:

 

[Al]

I kind of wonder sometimes if people read my posts. The reference to the chicken was intended to see if anyone was paying attention (obviously some are) and also to make note that even I get frustrated sometimes and would like to strangle those that seem to badly want ALS. If you can't even choke the chicken then ALS ain't fun. Why in God's name anyone would try to convince themselves they have it is beyond me. Nuff said. By the way, Caroline as I have British relatives, the equivelant term I believe is tossing off. If I'm wrong please feel free to give me a good caning. LOL.

AL.

 

[BethU]

Caroline ... I had to google the chicken, too. I first had an image of those poor turkeys in Alaska getting their heads chopped off ... opps!

 

[rose]

about that poor "chicken" ...so, what does it say about me that I knew right away? (no replies are needed)

I must say that this thread did make me think a little more about foot weakness, and took a good look at the foot I lose my balance with (I got to see our Christmas tree up close and very personal due to this) and lo and behold, I have thinning on the top of it now. Don't know when it happened. And no, I've not been aware of fasiciulations right there, although many I don't feel, and I don't look for them, but I'm just not sure that there is a cause and effect as far as the twitching = later signs of wasting. Maybe so, Don't have those answers. What I want to know, is why can't I get to specify where I get the thinning at on my body. This is my question of the day!...

Seriously, about Al's~ and many of us that are frustrated with those that seem to "want" ALS... I've been having trouble with my nose itching while the BiPAP mask is on at night, so much so that it wakes me, and I have to lift up the mask and rub my nose. It makes me wonder how awful it must be to have an itch anywhere, and be unable to move to scratch it! Think about this, the next time you "think" your symptoms are ALS even though "X" number of doctors have said you don't have it!

 

[rose]

Caroline....

The AFO's don't show under the legs of my jeans if the leg has enough flare below the knee. (because there is a strap that goes around my upper calf) They're really thin and fit into many of my shoes, but the style of shoe has to have the correct sort of support or, even if the AFOs fit into them, they don't help me walk.

I pretty much just wear them in a pair of air Nikes, and a couple of different boots. I have a pair of oxford style dress shoes that they work well in, but I think over the long run they will distort the shape of the shoe. So, I've just been using a cane when I'm wanting to look more dressed up, and have to walk much. The biggest advantage is they help me propel forward, but I don't feel stronger and my calves perhaps even feel weaker after I wear them. The ones I have are made of carbon, and are lightweight, but don't give as much ankle support as a fiberglass style does. The PT and also the orthotics fitter, felt that the style that offers more ankle support would make more work for the rest of my leg, which was not good either.

 

[olly]

thanks for your afo post rose.
fiber glass sound better for my foot/ankle,as my ankle gets/feels weak and i get cramps under my foot after walking only a short distance.
but also my leg need something to help it move forward.
hopefully they will figure something out,i have not had a day out in 2yrs .

i only noticed the atrophy about a year ago after having trouble with my ankle feeling weak. this has progressed slowly.
it was maybe 6months before that i noticed fassics,these were continuous twitching/wriggling on top of my foot,i could not feel them just noticed one day and just had a look every now and then.
i did not realise the importance back then,i was just fascinated by the movement.
my foot is thinner,i could not understand why my shoes would not stay on.
i will try and take photos.

al, i finally guessed(i was taking notice and always read your posts,just dont understand sometimes)took a while but got there eventually.

 

[chris_uk]

Suzanne

No, the needle does not have to be in the exact spot of denervation. If the EMG is done properly, the needle should first be stuck into the muscle at about a 90 degree angle and then manipulated by tilting it to the left . . . then to the right . . . then forward . . . then backward. That will allow the needle to detect electrical activity in all different directions within the muscle.


Olly

The EMG does not detect muscle atophy per se. Rather, it detects denervation that will lead to muscle atrophy (if it is not already seen clinically) if that denervation is active and ongoing.


Now on to the most important point of this thread: "choking the chicken"

I wasn't going to say anything after I read it (of course I couldn't type anything at first because I was laughing too hard) and was simply going to wait and see if anyone else had noticed. KTMJ was "brave" enough to point it out to those who didn't get it (good for you). Al, you are too funny.

I am almost 100% certain that when i had my EMG done that the needle was just stuck in my muscles and all i had to do was flex. i really dont remember him moving the needle once it was in my muscle. So if this is the case and when he stuck it in my calf and it was normal does this mean that this could now be a false reading?

chris

 

[wright]

The movement of the needle is subtle and you're not going to notice it unless you are actually looking as it's being done.

For the billionth time: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELAX

 

[olly]

foot/ankle atrophy photos

ok,i finally got round to doing them and are on my albums.
i thought it may show those not sure what it looks like as we see many hand ones.
the weakness feels worse than the atrophy looks,but you can clearly see the difference.
i hate feet ,they are so ugly.