Question
Sir
 Since having a herniated disk L5 about 5 years ago I have had problems with my foot when driving - a tightness, a feeling of something tied around my foot - makes it a torture to drive.
  When a had this herniated disk, I had spinal compression with the drx machine - any pain or discomfort I had while was walking disappeared after this treatment - except this problem with my foot.
 I haved tried various treatments for it - cold laser therapy worked very well - my foot problem seem to be corrected - however as time went by, my foot regressed and I had the discomfort again.
  A podiatrist said I had a neuroma and gave me a shot in my foot. This caused me pain for several months. Someone advised the doctor must have hit a nerve.
  As time went on my foot improved somewhat my I still could not drive like before.
 A year later I went to a different podiatrist who said yes I do have a neuroma. He put pads in my shoe and as I drove home my foot felt loose and I was able to drive alright! However as time went on the pad did not seem to help very much and I was back almost to where I started!!
  Recently, I had what I believe was another sciatica episode - though the pain was not in back of my leg or in the buttocks but rather on my thigh, hamstring and down the lower part of my leg.
  This caused my foot problem to regress so much I was barely able to drive. I went for physical therapy and after a while I was walking okay and with no pain but the foot while driving was a big problem. Simultaneously, I tried laser treatments agin at a chiropractor office but this time I was absolutely no help.
 I had a emg test. Though the back doctor said my right foot did not conduct like my left he did not think nerve damage was causing the problem with my foot but rather something 'mechanical'

 That surprised me because I felt nerve damage has been the problem with my foot all this time.
  Because of that I so far have not returned to this back doctor because I don't know if is is knowledgeable enough about this.
  I have no problem walking now and do not have pain in my foot, though it sometimes feels stiff even when not driving however most of the time my foot is okay - it's only when driving when it feels stiff.  
 can you help?
Cordially
Albert Schmulbach

Answer

Hanna Somatic Educatio   Hello, Albert.

Nerve damage need not be the case for the foot symptom you describe; nerve compression is sufficient to cause it -- the same nerve compression that causes sciatica.  In other words, foot pain is a symptom of sciatica.

Your doctors addressed symptoms, not the underlying cause: highly contracted back muscles.

May I direct you to my entry on sciatica:
http://somatics.com/sciaticasymptoms-piriformissyndrome.htm

regard,
Lawrence Gold