Question
I am a 47 year-old female. I was kicked by a horse in the left shin & broke my tibia in 5 places and fibula in 2 places. This is my 3rd week of being in a cast after having surgery. Is it normal for the leg to feel somewhat numb in the lower back part of the calf and on the tops of the toes & in the heel as well? I know I am supposed to be laying down a lot with my leg above my heart but being a mother of 2 it is hard.  Just want to know if this feeling is normal.  It is almost the same feeling you get when you have sat on your foot for too long & it goes to sleep.

Answer
Hi Patti

I am so sorry but this is not my area of expertise. I'm better at hip related things.  But I know how frustrating it is when you try and ask a question and get no answer.  Please double check my answer with your doctor.

When I was in a body cast, I had aches and pains all over. The reason being that my body was not moving normally.  What you are getting is probably some type of referred reaction from your injury.  That's the easy fix because once you return to normal it will go away.  That's for sure.

If you continue to get numbness after you heal, that may signal some type of nerve involvement, and it may be that when you were kicked, the broken bones hit or disturbed nerve passages.  I have nerve damage and I was told that if the symptoms do not go away in 18 months, there is permanent damage.  But again, this is in relation to referred pain from the hip to the knee, in my case.

With two young children in your care (I had two young boys to care for as well with during my surgeries), please talk to your doctor and ask your question.  The reason being is that he is more involved in your case, but that withstanding, I do believe that once you heal and your cast comes off, with physical therapy, you will be fine.

Hope this helps.

Sharon Davis