Effective Method of Testing Heel Strength?

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Ernzo88

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Does anyone know an effective method of testing heel strength? There seem to be a few ways to test the strength of ankles and toes but nothing (That I have found anyway) that tests heel strength.
 
I don't think strength testing will get you what you want which is reassurance. I have had twitching in my heel for over three months and have had two clean EMGs. I have only been asked to walk on heels and toes and in a line. That is the only testing ever done on me. If you knew you had lost strength this would not confirm the worst and if you hadn't this is not total reassurance. I am a big reassurance seeker and if doing what you seem to want to do would give me reassurance, I would be seeking the same info. However, over my three plus month experience with this I have learned that the only reassurance you can get is via a clean EMG, the knowledge that you are not disabled even though you twitch after a lot of time has passed, and the fact that there is a conditions known as bfs just like there are benign headaches, stomach aches, etc. Seeking reassurance from things that don't really provide it only causes more anxiety which makes it harder to really assess what is going on and only makes a bad situation worse. Take comfort in the experiences of those on this board as it proves the existence of a benign condition with your symptoms and the fact that you are doing all you can to get the right tests. You will get them and you will get past this.Krackersones
 
I hope so but I'm sure you and others have noticed that i'm an eternal pesimist and when it comes to the old "Glass half full/half empty" analogy,I tend to see my glass as bone dry and cracking.The thing is i'm not even sure a clean EMG will alay my fears as its not a 100% guarantee. I know i'm never going to get that,but unfortunately if there is something to worry about,no matter how small it is,I will. You say about not being disabled but this condition (whatever it is) has caused me to have days at a time not being up to washing/dressing etc and I have not been out of my house for anything other than docs/hospital for about 2 months. Also my mum is disabled and a gentleman that deals with her money came round and even he said that I should consider going on disability given my current situation and my existing conditions.Unfortunately I and my family have had numerous incidents of NHS mis/non diagnosis and mistakes costing peoples lives and almost ending a few others,including mine. Due to this I have little faith in the conclusions that people in the medical profession arive at,which I know is not a good thing but i'm not sure if i am ever going to be able to have faith in what they say is/is not wrong.One thing I would like to ask you is why you and others have had a number of EMG's despite the fact that the first /second/third etc have been fine? If like you say a clean EMG is what you need,how come so many people have more than one and how so as over in the UK its hard enough trying to get one scan,if I asked for another I would get laughed out of the doctors/hospital.
 
I have had more than one because the value of the exam is based on the skill of the person doing it. If you don't know the skill of the doc doing it, you don't know how much weight to give it. It's not like an MRI where you can just send the films to another doctor. You are right it is not 100% and nothing is. A biopsy is not 100% nor is a blood test. There is always the posibility of human error involved. I totally understand your distress. You cannot change the realities of this life we are given. It is full of unfairness, uncertainty, incompentence, out-right criminal behavior by medical personnel, insensitivity, just about every negative thing you can think of. The only thing you can do is choose to focus more on the positive things that also co-exist like the caring people on this board, the positive relationships you have with family and/or friends, the small things you do enjoy doing if you allow yourself, etc. I woke up this morning and felt my tongue twitching again like it does basically every day. This symptoms really scares me but what can I really do. It is there. I have been given the basic reassurances but they are not 100%. All I can do is try to enjoy what I can. I am going to walk to get a bagel with my husband this morning. I am going to prepare to teach my students next week. These kids experience the same unfairness and problems I do. Some have had parents killed (one by a drunk driver, the other in a shooting). They have illness (one has had leukemia). Despite these things, I see them smile and laugh as well as cry and struggle to just pick up their books and move along. We are all in this world together. I hope one day we can meet and talk on the other side of this life and maybe get some answers on why it couldn't all be perfect.Krackersones
 
Well it's easier to focus on the positives if you have any to focus on. I don't have a close family and those I do know have their own problems to do with. As for friends I should be so lucky as to have any.There is/were very few things that I enjoy doing and the one thing I did that got me out of the house I can no longer do due to the state of my legs/feet and the way they make me feel as a whole. Maybe I am looking for things/answers/reassurance that I am never going to get. I am just certain that its going to be bad news and i'm going to go to pieces. Unlike many people on here I do not have religion as a comfort blanket,so therfore I am alone with my fears and believe me its not a nice place to be.
 
You must reach out somehow to develop relationships with other people. You are doing that by communicating on this board but it is much better to form relationships with those you can see in person. I don't think human beings can have any type of satisfactory existence without good human relationships. I am not saying that developing new relationships will be easy. I am fortunate to have a close family although they live far away from me. I am also married but no kids. I don't have a lot of close friends that I see on a regular basis but I do interact with people all the time as a teacher.I can promise you that if you do something every day that leads to forming relationships with other people, this will make your life better. If I was in your situation, these are some things I might consider doing. (1) Joining an in-person support group; (2) joining any type of organization that I had a connection with just so I could be around other people on a regular basis; (3) volunteer to do anything that I could do that might be useful to and put me in contact with other people; (4) go back to school and learn something about something that interests me or might help me later in life; (5) join a book club that meets in-person; (6) join an exercise group or take an exercise class for people at your same health/fitness level.You are not alone with your feelings. As soon as you begin interacting with other people the more you will realize this. I wish I lived near you so I could do some of these things I recommend with you. Since I don't, I can just listen and offer advice and hope some of it helps you.I make these recommendations based on personal experience. People and my relationships with them are the only thing that has every brought me any happiness or peace in this life. Krackersones
 
Well that all well and good Krackersones but I never had much in the way of human relationships,partially because the few that I have had have always ended with people stabbing me in the back or using me when the need something and then disapearing when I need someone. I used to talk to a few people online but even those have left me. Maybe its partially because I'm always on a downer,but its hard not to be when I have never known anything else. People don't want honesty they want me to say "Good" when Im asked how I am,however I am not one for that and people can't handle it when they ask why and I'm not good and I reel off a big list of crud thats happening to me.As I said Krackersones I can't even get out to do the ONE thing that I enjoy and it was a struggle to get to the docs the other day and will be if I ever get to see the neuro. So the chances of me feeling good enough to get out and do things that I would not have done even when I was ok (as ok as I can be) are virtually zero.I am alone,people are selfish and don't give a *beep* about anyone else. Everything is done for self gain and thats it. My immediate family do all they can for others and get zero in return and I am no different. We are an unlucky bunch and I fully expect bad news as and when I get to the neuro,it would be too much to ask for something nice to happen for me and whenever I have taken a positive view or had faith in something/someone that faith has always been misplaced and just gives me more reason to expect the worst of situations and people in general.Thats part of the reason I said "Shoot me" on my other thread,it would be like putting an ill dog out of its missery. Easier for everyone,including the dog.
 
Noodle, take a long hard look ...i doubt very much you are walking like this even without help. Imagine her trying the intricacy of heel to toe walking in a straight line while pulling her legs from her hips the waY she does. Also note how she slumps with exhaustion into her seat at the end of a short walk.
 
No I don't walk like that but then again I pressume that the disease has progressed somewhat. I hate seeing stuff like that,especially when its young/good people,they don't deserve such things.The reasons I am worried is because of this rapid internal twitching I have in my heel,even when I am standing. Its worse when I am sitting and worse than that when I am laying down (One of the reasons I am up at 6am). Also I have pain in my right heel,more so if I try to put any weight on it such as if I try and do the heel-heel walk. I am worried that the muscle has wasted a bit and that there is no muscle protection for the heel and thus I have done something to the boney area in that foot (far end of the heel).Its worrying the hell out of me,it does not seem a coincidence that recently when I have been watching the tv there has been a lot of stuff about Lou Gherig and Stephen Hawking,its as if it has been pre-ordained that I am going to get bad news.
 
Noodle,I know what you mean about being reminded of the horrible disease. Whenever a pick up a book while waiting at pharmacy or doctor's office, I also seem to turn to a definition or article about that disease. It is hard not to see it as a "sign" but really that is not the case. Think about people who are worried about cancer. Every other billboard, every other commercial, every other news report is about cancer. Every product has is now pink to raise money for cancer. You can really make a case that every hospital is just a reminder that people get sick. I really empathize with your negative experiences with people. I have had them and most people I've known well have had them. The difference is some people decide that these experience mean that there is nothing to positive to be gained by continuing to form relationships and others stay hopeful. It is a choice. There is good and bad in everyone. The ratio may be different for different people and different at different times but there is good to be found. Keep looking for it. I promise you will find it. The fact that you worry about your health means you care about yourself and you do see value in this life. All your negative experiences will help you relate to other people and when you triumph over them (even if only for short periods of time) this will also be something of value you can share with others facing the same outlook.When someone tells me they feel bad, I like that. It shows me the person is honest and comfortable being human and sharing their humanity with others.Krackersones
 
You said you are "waiting to see someone." I hope this means you are in the process of getting counseling. You are definitely heading in the right direction by seeking help. I have gone to psychiatrists (never for long) a couple of times in my life. The interesting thing I noticed was they shared the same feelings and fears as I did which is probably why they were interested in becoming psychiatrists. Maybe they thought there was a cure. I think there are things that help but no cure for being human. Just because some people don't talk about their feelings or just because they do things to distract themselves doesn't mean they don't have the feelings. I agree that saying there are others worse off doesn't help. It can however remind you that some people do find a way to enjoy or at least find meaning in their life even if things are bad. It also helps me not to be angry and feel "unlucky" as there is no easy ride for anyone. It also give me compassion for others which I think is the greatest human quality. You seem to have a great deal of this from what you've said in your email. Krackersones
 
Well I am supposed to be seeing someone but the waiting list over here is 9 months. I was having some group therapy a while back as again they told me I would have to wait 9 months if I wanted one on one. Well when I was having it I became ill with something else and had to stop. I can see the same thing happening again with whats going on at the moment as it's making me feel bad both mentally and physically.Maybe part of the problem is that unlike yourself I do feel unlucky and I feel bitter about things that certain events have robbed me of at the way my life has panned out because of these events.This is made worse by knowing a lot of people that don't deserve jack but always seem to land on their feet.
 
Hello there Noodle,I have been reading your posts and I do understand a lot of what you are going through. Though my symptoms are not mind disturbing as yours I know exactly what you mean by the anxiety examples you have mentioned. I also have this thing abount worrying too much over simple things of life, and always take it to the negative side. As much as I try to change, I can´t.Anyway, just hang on there. I guess everything will be ok. My positive thoughts are with you.Btw, where are you from?Mich
 

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