Loss of coordination in leg - Official runner's dystonia / focal dystonia discussion thread

I agree that the problem is not muscular but overtime I've learned that strenthen the key muscles in the hip/glute area help compensate for the problem. but there is still something structural wrong going on and the only thing left it can be is labral tear, going to look into this thanks

I do know what I am talking about. I wrote earlier in the thread about how advice from others had helped me with this problem. I went from being unable to run at the end of 2007 to having my best year in 2008. If you don't want to learn then that's up to you.

wellnow wrote:

I do know what I am talking about. I wrote earlier in the thread about how advice from others had helped me with this problem. I went from being unable to run at the end of 2007 to having my best year in 2008. If you don't want to learn then that's up to you.

I've run decently well this spring too, thanks to all the various treatments. Heck, I've run extremely well for several years with the crazy leg/shortened stride, before even getting the pain. Guess you could say I'm an effective compensator. But the problem was still there, signifying something more than just muscle imbalances. The shot in the hip joint has been the most effective treatment so far, because it targeted the actual problem (the labral tear) and not the just the symptoms (muscle imbalances, nerve pinching).

Good for you. But most people who suffer from loss of coordination don't have an injury, the problem is neural.

For me the problem was worst when trying to run fast downhill. The solution? Practicing running fast downhill.

how steep downhill?

wellnow wrote:

Good for you. But most people who suffer from loss of coordination don't have an injury, the problem is neural.

For me the problem was worst when trying to run fast downhill. The solution? Practicing running fast downhill.

Sorry, but when you go for years with the "loss of coordination", that's not 'just' neural. That's a serious injury that's not healing on it's own or with any amount of downhill running. It may help relieve the symptoms (neural and muscular), but it won't target the root cause.

wellnow,

What do you mean by saying the problem was neural? What was the reason that the nerves were not functioning properly? Back? Impingement somewhere else?

downhill? wrote:

how steep downhill?

5% but it's not simple you need to feel your way through this problem, but do it confidently.

fly137 wrote:

wellnow,

What do you mean by saying the problem was neural? What was the reason that the nerves were not functioning properly? Back? Impingement somewhere else?

muscle spasm protecting the sciatic nerve.

I'm trying to read through this but I can't tell if what my problem is matches everyone else.

My main issue is I experience no lower leg pain, like ever, the problem is absolutely exclusive to my quad.

Is there any way this can be caused by a quad strain? I experienced extreme pain in my quad for about a week and half when his started, so bad I could hardly even walk. I didn't have any trauma I can think of, I simply woke up one morning and it was very painful to stand. After taking about 6 weeks off, I can run fine, like an hour plus, at a slow pace. Slow like 1+ minute slower than I normally run. As soon as I try to push the pace down toward the sub 7 range though the problem comes back and I start running funny. NO PAIN occurs, the problem is my left leg doesn't move properly, it feels like my leg is staying too straight or something, and I end up running with a limp. It does not hurt, but I can tell it is my quad.

This seems a little different from most peoples experiences, in that the problem is A. Not progressive, it either is or is not an issue, B. does not start in the lower leg, and C. was proceeded by a period of intense pain.

Does this sounds similar? Or is it more likely that I simply have a quad injury that is not entirely healed?

Reading through this again it can be a little confusing

When this problem first arose, there was extreme pain constantly, but it dulled after a few weeks and now it is not painful at all.

I have not really had any pain, but did have an extreme cramp like sensation in my right quad, I'm guessing it was in my vastus lateralis, and the issue started immediately after. Its been 8 months, and I have had no improvement. I have tried a lot of different things, but haven't found anything that seems to offer any relief.

I think it would be valuable to list my symptoms so that we know if we are dealing with similar things:

At rest (particularly sitting) I have a tight, grinding feeling in my groin. I also have some low back pain (more of a dull ache) and a sensation - that's the only way I can describe it since it is NOT pain - in my inner left quad along the sartorious.

With activity, and this includes running, biking, rowing, walking...I have the same sensation along the inner quad that develops into a pressure and makes my vastus medialus feel like someone has dug his thumb into the belly of the muscle. Along with this feeling of pressure, my quads get very heavy (think biking up a steep hill) and become bloated. With this heaviness, I lose control of my legs. Often after riding or rowing on an ergometer, I will be a bit wobbly. Sound familiar to anyone?

Has anyone had a complete improvement from the problem ever?

yes since I have based my training around this problem for the last six years. I used to have the loss of coordination problem in any track event over 1 mile and now I can run a 5k without major problems. The starts to feel weird at the end of 5ks, but it does not hinder my stride the same way it did in high school. the problem is not resolved, but since the longest distance I have to run on the track is 5k I don't really care that I have the problem. Even though I should be a 5k / 10k guy on the track, I realized pretty early on in college that I would never be able to get through 10k without the problem kicking in, so instead I focused on the 800 / 1500, and every once in a while I will run a 5k.

my current training doesn't involve any exercises. I run 55 - 80 miles a week. My normal runs range from 6:00 to 6:15 pace and every two weeks I will run a progression run on the roads of about 8 miles where I start at 6:00 pace and drop down to 5:15 pace by the end. I average somewhere around 5:3X for the 8 miles. The reason I do this is because I cannot do tempo runs on the roads that are longer than 4 miles without losing coordination. If I try to run 5 miles at 5:00 pace, the problem will kick in around 3.75 miles, and by 4.5 miles the problem will be so bad that I have no control over where my bad leg lands and (you all know the problem).

I haven't always been able to run my normal runs at 6:00 - 6:15 pace. before my freshman year of college, running 10 miles at 7:00 felt "pretty hard". but i think a combination of the miles I have logged over time and being fairly consistent with my training have allowed me to slowly drop my normal run pace. I think that both the the progression run and the faster normal runs are the main reasons why I have improved because they are the only things that have changed in my training since high school. I also do a 7 minute plank / side plank routine, and have eaten healthier but those are just minor things.

So basically you have just avoided irritating the leg and it has improved?

Are you doing any strength exercises other than the 7 minute plank?

i used to lose coordination in my left leg-upper hamstrings/butt was the afflicted area. sometimes i still do, but this is what has helped.

stretching on the left side:

hip flexors-psoas,iliacus

-TFL

-spinal erectors

stretching on the right side:

-Glutes

-piriformis

-hamstrings

then i would strengthen on the left side what was tight on the right side and vice versa.

For me the issue was that my right piriformis & butt were pulling the sacrum out of place resulting in a lengthened left piriformis, hamstring, & butt that would go into spasm. i know a lot of your issues aren't quite as simple, but this is what has helped me and i hope it can help someone else.

with stretches this page is a good start:

http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/articles/Hardcore+Stretching%2C+Part+II/

It used to happen to me after I had been injuried in my hamstrings.

Sofrustrated! wrote:

Has anyone had a complete improvement from the problem ever?

Improved absolutely dramatically through glute med strengthening, and focusing on running with my knees going out straight over my feet. You should really drive from the hips, like a box jump. Do that and it will go away. Make sure the problem leg turns the knee outwards.