Question
Hi Gary,

I've been reading your website with great interest, but I'm desperately looking for some sound advice that is specific to my problem...

I'm 33 and a keen mountain biker and used to ride very regular so had a good level of fitness.  But my day job is sedentary and I've probably been sitting at my desk with bad posture, although I didn't have any warning signs that my posture was poor.

11 months ago I suddenly developed knee pain after a bike ride which never went away. Lying down relieved the pain and sitting made it worse.  I did physio to strengthen my medial quads, core strengthen exercises and various stretches.  5 months later and the knee pain started to ease but only to be replaced with nerve related pain - pins and needles in back of legs when sat at my desk, crawling sensations in thighs, burning in both feet, tight and tired legs. I've had the these nerve related problems for months now with zero signs of improvement.  My symptoms are always made worse with sitting so I can't do my job properly. My symptoms are much better when I go to bed and I also feel a bit better when walking. It's worth noting that I think I probably over stretched my hamstrings and was too aggressive with how far I bent over.

I had an MRI on my lumbar spine which should a broad but small bulge at L5 and disc dessication.  The surgeon dismissed this though and said there is no nerve impingement in the suppine position.

So over the last 2 months I have been doing very basic core exercises, the McKenzie back extension and a little bit of stretching but no improvement.

I'd love to get my old active lifestyle back and have strong pain free legs and no burning in my feet.

Can you suggest anything other than what is featured on your 4 videos about burning feet?

Many thanks!!

Answer
Hello,    

Wow, sorry to hear about all the issues in your body. While there are a lot different and varying symptoms, it's my opinion that the last thing you need to be doing is "strengthening" exercises.  I do believe your problem is one of too much tension in your lower body that needs to be released.  The way you describe all your symptoms when standing, sitting and lying down all seem consistent with you having inappropriate tension in your body that needs to be released.

If I'm correct, you've done other therapies that involve strengthening with very little to show for it.  But you've also done my techniques here on my "burning feet page"
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/burning-feet-sensation-relief.ht
with also very little  to show for it? I believe that is correct.
I am quite surprised you have not gotten any relief from the techniques on my page, but facts are facts. And the burning feet page covers most of what I'd recommend you'd do to relieve your symptoms.

So perhaps you need a deeper release than you can do yourself.
I would recommend that you go to these two websites and find a Structural Integration practitioner in your area:
http://www.rolf.org/find
and
http://www.rolfguild.org/practitioners

I would call them all and find someone who has been in practice at least 5 years, preferably 10 years. Go to who seems best able to help you, but feel free to try more than one person if the first one doesn't seem to be working out.

Since you've been to my website, please keep me posted on your progress if you don't mind.  I'm very curious that you found no relief from my techniques and would like to know what ultimately works for you. In the end, it is only results that matter when it comes to pain relief, so you may help me to help a lot of other people with what you discover finally works for you.

I do hope this helps.

Best,
Gary Crowley
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/