My NSV turned out to be a real bummer

Like many of us, my favorite NSV was when I could cross my legs again.  What a happy day that was!  Now I can even do the double-cross - WU-HOOO!!  It's so nice and comfortable and feels normal to sit that way.  I don't even realize I'm doing it most the time.   

But for me it's turned out to be a bad thing - I've been having weakness and numbing in my foot, ankle and leg and developed a "slapping gait" (abnormal high-stepping walk to avoid tripping on my floppy foot) and was diagnosed with Peroneal Nerve damage yesterday.  The neurologist says she believes it was probably caused by rapid weight loss around the nerve, which exposed it to undue damage from sitting all day at my desk with my legs crossed.  Now I have to do PT for 4-5 months to try and reverse the damage (along with a barrage of other testing, including an MRI this Sunday at 7am (happy Easter to me).  

Long story short - No more crossing my legs.  Ever.  sigh

PS:  STILL WORTH IT!!!  

Info if you're interested:

Crossing your legs doesn't just impact the blood flowing back up to your heart--it affects the veins and nerves in your legs and feet, too.

Crossing your legs at the knee can cause pressure on your peroneal nerve, the major nerve in your leg that passes just below your knee and along the outside of your leg, explains Richard Graves, a podiatrist who specializes in disorders of the lower extremities. This pressure can cause numbness and temporary paralysis of some of the muscles in your foot and leg, preventing you from being able to raise your ankle -- what we know as that "pins and needles" sensation.

While the feeling is only temporary, Graves says repeatedly sitting with your legs crossed in the same position can also cause you to develop long-term numbness in your legs from nerve damage.

While he says uncrossing every two to four minutes can help minimize damage, he recommends you ditch the habit entirely: "The best advice is always not to sit with your legs crossed."

ACK! That's horrible and scary for me.  As I was reading this I quickly pulled my left leg from under me and now it's all tingly as the blood flow returns.  It's a habit that I've had for my whole life.  Even when I'm at home and sitting on the couch, i don't sit with my legs out in front of me, I've always got at least one leg crossed or tucked underneath me.  

I'm sorry you're having this problem, and THANK YOU for posting this.  I'm going to be more mindful of how I sit from now on.

I did the exact same thing! I wonder if that is why i've been having some pain in my leg where she described the nerve runs.

Corrie, That sucks!

And thanks for the hard-come-by advice.

Thank you for sharing! I recently have been trying to use the standing part of my desk more often and you sharing your experience solidifies I need go keep at that as when I sit I end up sitting on my leg crossed under me! Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for sharing this reminder.... stick with the PT, it can work....

Wow.  Thanks for sharing this information. I find that I do this all the time now.  I will try to stop the habit.  I hope the physical therapy helps.

Just uncrossed my legs!! Thanks for posting. Hope you get better