Numbness in Leg

Question
I am a 64 year female, running for 4 years. Every time I run a half marathon my right leg goes numb at mile 11, I have to drag it to finish. Any ideas why this is happening?

Answer
Linda,

Great job on running so much. That is very admirable. There are many possible causes. The most likely is that your right leg hits the ground slightly different than your left leg. This causes different muscles to work which after 11 miles makes enough difference that your right leg goes numb.

Another cause may be that your hip or low back area are not completely symmetrical which causes your right leg to move differently which causes numbness over time.

These are the two most likely causes and it could be a combination of both. I have 2 suggestions for you.

1) Do the following 2 exercises/movements before you run. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeZE8mdhQgA (This person has a different problem than you, but the movement is the same.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fstMu197sJ8... On both of these make sure you do the side that is easier or that you can go farther. You'll do only that side 3 times for 30 seconds for each movement/exercise.

2) If it gets more sever and the above doesn't help I suggest seein a physical therapist that has OCS or SCS credentials. It is likely not serious, but if your instincts tell you it is then get it checked out quickly.

Good luck getting this fixed. Don't hesitate to ask follow up questions!