Halfway point proves painful as ache switches from back to leg

A FEW weeks ago I wrote about lower back pain, saying exercise was considered important.

Which is correct – and walking is particularly good for something 80% of people experience at some point.

A woman who came to my surgery last week had followed my advice by walking to help her bad back but was now experiencing leg pain. However, it only occurred when she was at the halfway point of her walk to the local shop.

Was it the excitement of seeing if the Shreddies were on “buy one, get one free” that week which made her thighs ache?

Nope, it was actually something called spinal stenosis.

This condition tends to affect over-60s and happens when there’s a narrowing of the wee tunnels in the spine.

It’s brought on by the wear and tear to the spine which is so common. In some folk, the bony spurs that form press down on the nerves which go into the lower back and legs. An MRI scan confirms the diagnosis.

The leg symptoms usually disappear when the patient sits down or leans forwards.

That’s because the wee compressed space inside the spine widens when in that position, relieving the pressure on the nerves.

This means that someone with spinal stenosis can often cycle without too much trouble.

Walking, however, can be a problem. Pain may arrive after quite a precise distance is walked – halfway to the shops, for instance.

Usual painkillers may not be very effective, so something like gabapentin, used for nerve pain, helps.

Generally getting fit helps, too. If walking is difficult, try cycling, or an exercise bike.

If that doesn’t help, some people need spinal injections or surgery.