There Is Pain In My Leg And My Foot Feels Week Again. I’m So Afraid Something Is Wrong

Posted on Tue, 22 Apr 2025

Question: I had a lumbar laminectomy on Oct. 7. I’m almost 7 weeks post op. I have also been doing PT. Now I can barely sit and lay down. The pain is excruciating near my incision and lower left of my back. I can’t cross my legs when I lie down because my back hurts so much. There is pain in my leg and my foot feels week again. I’m so afraid something is wrong. I just feel it.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (38 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I think you should postpone the physical therapy.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

If no new neurological symptoms such as numbness, pain down the leg(s), restricted walking, problems with urination, etc. you should not be worried about anything serious.

Some patients take a couple of months to recover after laminectomy.

Since you are in pain I think you should postpone the physical therapy for now.

Use painkillers for few days such as ibuprofen, ketoprofene, diclofenac, etc.

Get checked by your Doctor for any inflammatory process around the wound, check your body temperature also.

If no improvement in few days consider doing an MRI of your lumbar spine.

Discuss with your Doctor these issues.

Hope you found the answer helpful.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T