What is wrong with my quad?!

[Jenn_is_Jenning]

Ok, hello.
I feel like my left quad doesn't "work" and I am not sure what to do about it.

First- it's hard to get it to fully contract or activate, ever. Even doing almost no weight on the leg extension. Right quad works great and always takes over the weight.

I think it causes my squats to shift as well.
My quad sometimes feels as though it's gone numb.

For example, if I sleep on my stomach with my right leg bent and my left straight with the quad facing down, my quad will go numb in about 10 minutes. I drew a diagram:

I have noticed it randomly feeling numb other times as well.

Now, I have stretched, foam rolled, had massages, red light therapy, tens machine, dry needling, herbal plasters and put on CBD cream. NOTHING, has made my quad work normally.

It doesn't hurt, though the numb feeling when I sleep is unpleasant.
Also, the shifting when I squat seems to be cause issues on the other side because it's doing too much work compared to the left.
Has anyone experienced anything like this or does anyone know what more I could do?
I want to have beefy quads, plural!! But, I feel like I can only develop one

 

[snake]

Seems neurological. I'd get to a chiropractor and if that doesn't work, go to an Ortho who will probably start with an MRI of you lower back and pelvis. Most problems are above the effected area.

Good luck

 

[BRICKS]

Agree with Snake's post. If it were me I'd see a good ortho, then see someone for some adjustments. I'm not a big fan of chiropractors, but we are fortunate enough to have guy in town who does myofascial release and adjustments along those lines. Thus dude was a competitive powerlifter and the trainer for a couple of D1 schools. Mrs.BRICKS sees him every two weeks, I haven't worked it out with my work schedule yet and frankly I'm not looking forward to it cause it's painful as fk. But it's improved her performance and how she feels by a huge margin. Your problem may not be leg related but it almost sounds like a low back issue.

 

[Jenn_is_Jenning]

Damn! Thanks guys.
I have seen 4 different chiropractors and my issue never really improved.
One of them took an xray and they said my tailbone was up and twisted a bit.
I had weekly adjustments with him for a full year after that assessment and still didn't notice anything.
I never go anymore.

It could take a year to get an MRI here.
Do you think anything would get WORSE for me if I just keep doing active recovery work and let it be a lackluster quad?

 

[buck]

I have some similar issues. Some numbness and my left leg seems to activate slower. I have some disc issues in my back so i am assuming that it the cause. I had a neurological study some time back and the signal definitely moves slower down my left leg then my right but still in the parameter of acceptable by medical standards.

 

[BrotherIron]

I'd see a PT and get some dry needling.

 

[Jenn_is_Jenning]

Yeah, I've done the dry needling thing. I have found that it helped with other things, but it didn't do anything for my quad.

If it is a low back thing, can anything even be done?
I mean, if I've had years of adjustments and Physio and massage, what more could be done if I had an mri other than "knowing" it's a low back thing?

 

[BrotherIron]

Yeah, I've done the dry needling thing. I have found that it helped with other things, but it didn't do anything for my quad.

If it is a low back thing, can anything even be done?
I mean, if I've had years of adjustments and Physio and massage, what more could be done if I had an mri other than "knowing" it's a low back thing?

You need to find out the cause so you can address it. Before doing that you're merely throwing darts with your eyes closed hoping it hits the target. A proper diagnosis allows you to correct the problem so you can move forward toward your goals.

 

[Joliver]

Yeah, I've done the dry needling thing. I have found that it helped with other things, but it didn't do anything for my quad.

If it is a low back thing, can anything even be done?
I mean, if I've had years of adjustments and Physio and massage, what more could be done if I had an mri other than "knowing" it's a low back thing?

As a general statement, I've had lots of success with inversion and spinal traction with my disc issues. Since the quad's nerve origin is between L2-L4 vertebrae, it could help. Can't hurt. 🤷‍♂️


I also am a believer in electrostim for nerve healing/regeneration or neuropathy, etc.

Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Axon Regeneration After Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Animal Models and Humans - PubMed

Injured peripheral nerves regenerate their lost axons but functional recovery in humans is frequently disappointing. This is so particularly when injuries require regeneration over long distances and/or over long time periods. Fat replacement of chronically denervated muscles, a commonly...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov