is it my back or my feet stopping me from walking?

Nerve damage can happen in your feet (Peripheral Neuropathy); most commonly from Diabetes, aging, alcoholism, and metabolic disorders. It causes numbing and tingling in the feet, sharp shooting pains down the legs and it is worse at night and worse at rest. This starts at the toes and toes upwards. 

Often this is confused with degeneration in the low back, Neuorogenic Intermittent Claudication (stenosis). The degenerated areas in the low back can cause leg and foot problems as it compresses the part of the spinal cord that branches to the legs and feet. The symptoms are leg pain, leg weakness with walking, numbing in the feet and occasional bowel and bladder problems. Relief with sitting and bending forward–this will affect your lifestyle as it limits you from golfing, walking the dog, shopping and walking activities. 

For more information on properly differentiating these two and properly treating them in order to keep you on your feet and moving; please contact us.