Where and When is your pain when you are walking?

Review the video clip for normal walking. Note that the heel strikes the ground first. Write a note if this is normal or how it is different.

Injury or disorder of the lumbar spine and legs may cause pain during walking.

Even if you are using a walking aid - crutches or walking frame or walking stick, notice:
1. Where the pain occurs when you are walking; and
2. When in the step you feel the pain.

You can draw it on the Full Body Chart; Specific Body Region and as a Graph, so that you have a reference to show how you are improving over time.

What Pain during walking might tell you

Pain can be:
1. Local. You feel a small area of pain in the same part of your step. This often indicates that the tissue in that area is damaged.;
2. Referred. You feel a strip of pain along a line down your limb from the cause point. It may be difficult to find the cause area, however it will usually be in the immediate joint above the beginning area of the pain e.g pain in buttock and back of leg probably caused by Low back problem;
3. Locally referred. There is a point of pain which cause (origin) is somewhere else e.g sometimes there is only knee pain when the hip is damaged.

If the pain is in the front of the leg or foot during the swing forward of the step, then the problem is likely to be due to the muscles in that area of pain.

If the pain is at the back of the leg during pushing off your weight, then the problem is likely due to the muscles in the area of pain.

If the pain occurs as weight is taken on the leg, then it is likely to be the joint or ligament in the area of pain.

If, with the weight off the leg, you can move the area of the leg and foot of the pain, fully in all directions without pain, then the pain is likely to be referred from the body part above e.g low back.

These guidelines are not complete, so if you are following the rehabilitation guidelines and your walking is not improving 50% every 5 days, the seek professional assessment with a doctor or physiotherapist. You can book a consultation with OOPS

FROM NON-WEIGHT BEARING TO FULL WEIGHT BEARING

REST: For difficulty in walking due to acute back or leg pain, rest in bed as much as possible, for two to three days. Active use of the injured or painful part should begin within mild to moderate pain (See Pain Scale) as soon as possible and no later than three days after onset, unless advised by a doctor or physiotherapist.

PROGRESS: Commence walking with the assistance of crutches or walking frame to minimise pain. Crutches and walking frames aid a balanced rhythm to your walking. Increase weight-bearing every few days until full weightbearing. For most injuries, you will be weight bearing within 2 weeks. If this is not the case, seek medical or physiotherapy advice.

Crutches

Use crutches to mobilise whenever unable to bear weight on the ankle, as in video clip.

See how to use crutches to walk up stairs at 3:53 of video clip here/below.

As comfortable, place affected foot on ground while supporting weight through hands with crutches and mimicking a normal step. See 5:04 of video clip.

As pain allows gradually put more weight through the foot until fully bearing weight without limping heavily. And then you can cease using crutches.

Walking Frame
If unable to use crutches due to poor balance, use a walking frame. Support affected foot by taking weight through hands or elbows (depending on the type of frame) while mimicking a normal step. As pain allows gradually put more weight through the foot until fully bearing weight without limping heavily.

Walking Stick
If you continue to have a small limp more than three weeks after onset and due to mild pain or stiffness in the leg or ankle or foot, use a walking stick in the opposite hand to support that foot while bearing weight. See video clip at 1:09

Where and When is your pain when you are walking?

FROM NON-WEIGHT BEARING TO FULL WEIGHT BEARING

Crutches

OOPS Overview

Full Body Chart

Body Regions Charts