Q: Hi! I used to have back ache earlier whenever I lifted something heavy or worked too much but I have taken all precations to avoid pain by following all your tips on how to lift things. Recently I have noticed that one of my legs is appearing thinner than the other. When I had back pain a few days back, I showed to a doctor in Punjab who had helped me earlier. After looking at my x-rays, he suggested that since I had fallen down on my buttocks a few months back on the stairs, the gap in my spinal cord has decreased at the bottom of the spinal cord and blood circulation has stopped thereby affecting my leg. He advised that I need hospital admission for a week so that they can pull some muscles or something. I am a bit apprehensive as is my husband. Can you please advise me on what I should do and what is wrong with me?

A:The fact that one of your legs is slimmer than the other suggests that the muscles in that leg may be wasting away. The cause needs study. This is why your doctor has advised you to undergo tests. These tests will enable the doctor to determine the cause. In turn, this will help the doctor advise you on the means to prevent further slimming. The tests may include examination of the spinal cord and its nerves by magnetic resonance imaging and, if necessary, electrical tests to determine whether the nerves conveying commands from the brain to the muscles in the lower limbs are functioning satisfactorily.