Hi there , 1st post so apologies if I cock it up! Brief history - lacerated my right leg with a chainsaw to the side and back of my right knee just below my knee severing tendons, calf muscle and perineal nerve but no damage to bone on 12/12/2013 . I initially was unaware of nerve damage assuming my lack of dorsi flexion was due to cut tendons. The registrar I saw put me straight on that one with a somewhat blunt and grim outlook.
I was transferred to the Royal Melbourne where, after a 4 day wait, I was operated on. Initially the surgeon had assumed he was going to have to do a nerve sheath graft however he was able to rejoin the two ends and put my leg in a brace with knee bent at a 20 degree angle so as the nerve repair could not be stretched.
8 weeks later i finally got to take the brace off and begin physio. 3 months post opp my surgeon detected that I had some signs of nerve regeneration below the scar site and while he was encouraged to see it, he was fairly cautious in regard to how he thought my overall recovery would go. At 6 months I could just move my tendon on the top of my foot but had no lift in my toes or foot. 2 weeks later I got the first visible lift movement in my big toe . Now 8 months on I can lift my foot to about 85 degrees, I have dispensed with afo's and am back running again. While I still trip occasionally and have lateral weakness -I have to be careful on sloping uneven ground otherwise I risk rolling my ankle. The surgeon told me at the start I would have 12 - 18 months of recovery as the nerve is so slow to re grow so I am working hard to achieve as much as I can. I am fortunate to have got this far and work completely normally thanks to some great support from family, friends and employers.
I have used several different orthotics but found the custom made sprung hinged, though bulky, to be the best, though I also used the dorsi flex X strap (a US company trading as X Strap systems)which I found great for riding my bike and now use when I run. At times it's just nice to be able to walk with my foot supported but without the bulkiness of the afo around my calf.
I get quite a bit of jabbing nerve pain but think this is a small price to pay if it means things are happening . If someone had told me at the beginning the roller coaster of emotions that I would go through I would never have believed them, I can only offer encouragement for similar perineal nerve injury sufferers. no two cases are the same. In my favour I am 47, have kept reasonably fit, don't smoke and keep positive- good outcomes can happen.
Hope this helps /encourages someone , happy to answer any questions
