Foot Drop

Drop foot is a general term for difficulty lifting the front part of the foot. You may drag the front of your foot on the ground when you walk.

Foot drop isn't a disease but a sign of an underlying neurological, muscular or anatomical problem.

Sometimes foot drop is temporary. In other cases, foot drop is permanent. You may need to wear a brace on your ankle and foot to hold your foot in a normal position.

SYMPTOMS: You may experience difficulty lifting the front part of your foot, which sometimes is the only sign of foot drop. Dragging your foot on the floor as you walk. Slapping your foot down onto the floor with each step you take and raising your thigh when you walk, as if you were climbing stairs which is also called steppage gait. You may experience pain or weakness in the foot.

Foot drop usually affects only one foot. But depending on the underlying cause, however, its possible for both feet to be affected.

CAUSES: Foot drop is caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles below the knee involved in lifting the front part of the foot. The underlying causes are varied. Often, neurological, muscular and anatomical problems overlap. .

Foot drop is usually diagnosed during a physical exam. An EMG and nerve conduction studies may be ordered. These tests measure electrical activity in the muscles and nerves.

TREATMENT: The treatment course depends on the underlying cause. If the cause is successfully treated, foot drop may improve or even disappear. If the underlying cause can't be treated, then this foot drop may be permanent.

Specific treatments for foot drop may include: Bracing or splints. A brace on your ankle and foot that fits into your shoe can help hold your foot in a normal position. Physical therapy would include exercises that strengthen your leg muscles and help you maintain the range of motion in your knee and ankle. Sometimes stimulating the nerve that lifts the foot when you step improves foot drop, especially in the case of foot drop caused by a stroke. In some cases, a small, battery-operated electrical stimulator is strapped to the leg just below the knee or is could be implanted in the leg.

If you have the above mentioned symptoms give Dr. T. F. Vail's office a call at 419-423-1888 for an evaluation.

On our website at www.vailfoot.com we do offer bracing for patients that have drop foot But it is advisable to first consult a podiatrist to see if this would be beneficial to you.