Blue Tongue Baby Lizard - Wont Use Back Legs - Injury

Question
Hello Pam, I am from Melbourne, Ausralia, and am hoping you can help me.  Upon the advice from a paid on line vet site, I was told to see a vet to get some cortisone into my baby blue tongue due to his inability to move his back legs, due to my child falling backwards and her hand landing on the area towards the hind legs.  Since the injury, the lizard will not use all 4 legs to move around, and drags himself around on his front legs only, which must make him extremely tired, and cannot climb properly.  The day after the injury, I took him to a vet who specialises in reptiles, and he took some x-rays of my lizard and told me that there did not appear to be any spinal damage, however, he did not know if the lizard would regain the use of his back legs.  I feel that I have not had a very good professional opinion, and am extremely worried about his back legs.  I have tried massaging them and aiding him when walking by trying to move his back legs for him, but there does not appear to be any improvement.  It has now been five days, and he has started shedding his skin.  I would be extremely appreciative if you could offer me your expert advice, as I feel I have gotten nowhere with the vet.
Regards & thanks,
Simone, Melbourne, Australia

Answer
 First of all the vet you took him to appropriately took x-rays.  Reptiles do not have discs between the vertebrae like mammals do, so if he found no subluxations in the spine, the blue tongue should recover.  However, like all animals, it won't move if it feels pain and there would be a lot of bruising.  Painkillers are fine for a few days, but I wouldn't use it indefinitely, as it's hard on the liver.
 I would suggest a little reptile physical therapy.  In a shallow plastic bin, like the size you'd store sweaters under the bed, fill with water to reach the animal's shoulder (not far, I know, since they have short legs).  Place him on the palm of your hand and supporting him let him instinctively use his legs and tail in the water. Doing it daily may get him used to using his legs again.