How is Foot Drop Treated?
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Foot drop is a condition in which normal dorsiflexion, the bending of the ankle and toes upwards, is not possible, leading to a characteristic labored gait called steppage gait. Foot drop is treated by addressing the underlying condition. Because foot drop can result from a variety of conditions, including disorders of the nervous or muscular system, injury, and pharmaceutical side effects, any of a variety of treatments may be indicated.
If foot drop is the result of injury to the nervous system, such as a slipped disc impinging on the nerve leading to the foot, correcting the injury through surgery will relieve the foot drop. Foot drop resulting from injury to the dosiflexors, the muscles responsible for lifting the foot, can also be repaired through surgery.
Tendon transfer surgery is often helpful in correcting the condition as well. Some medications, notably the chemotherapy drug Vincristine, carry the risk of peripheral neuropathy as a side effect, leading to conditions including foot drop. In such cases, discontinuing or lowering the dosage of the drug may be necessary.
Other times, however, foot drop is the symptom of an untreatable condition. Some illnesses associated with foot drop are Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A patient suffering from one of these conditions must typically use a combination of orthotics and exercise to address foot drop.
Foot drop sufferers are usually fitted with an ankle foot orthosis (AFO), which provides foot and ankle support. The orthosis may be installed in shoes or worn separately. A relatively new treatment for foot drop involves using electricity to stimulate the peroneal nerve, which is responsible for lifting the foot while walking. This treatment is commonly used in conjunction with an AFO. Physical therapy can also help strengthen a patient's dorsiflexors and improve his or her gait.
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New: Discuss this ArticlePosted by: angelstar45
I am a 23 year old mother of a 2 year old and 1 year old. I suffer from foot drop and have since the beginning of May 2008. So far MRI on right knee and leg came back normal, but emg shows conduction block behind my knee. An MRI of my spine was performed and I see a neurosurgeon Friday of this week. The most interesting thing of my case is that I have had no prior injury that I can remember to cause this. I just woke up and couldn't walk correctly one day. No epi during either labor and pt 3 times a week to help regain strength and flexibility. Anyone with similar stories care to talk let me know?Would be great to know I'm not alone!
Posted by: lcalvillo
I have foot drop from spinal nerve damage - L4 L5. I have difficulty walking, even with a toe off brace my right foot turns in to the left, blistering my big toe underneath the callouses. My big toe is totally paralyzed, and the tendon on that side of my foot is not working.
I am scheduled for the Bridle Procedure, which is a tendon transfer, on September 10th, and hope for good results. I know I will be in a cast for six weeks or so, but doctor says I should only be off work a week or two. I have e mailed one person who had the procedure, and it worked. One thing I want to say is, my foot drop was not so severe in the beginning, but it got progressively worse, so those of you with this problem, please be careful. At this point it's very uncomfortable, actually painful, even with a brace. I was considering ankle fusion, but Bridle procedure (tendon transfer) sounds like the answer. Posted by: PeterDixon
Has anyone experienced taking the nerve pain medications, Gabapentin, Hydromorph Contin and Dilaudid? If you have, how effective are they for you? Any bad side affects?
Thanks. Peter Posted by: PeterDixon
Sometimes the reasons why the foot cannot be raised is due to a neurological problem. Have you consulted with a neurologist to determine why your foot no longer can be raised? A stroke can also be a reason why there is foot drop.
In my case the reason is clear why I cannot raise my foot to 90 degrees or more like I could previously. I had a tumour removed from my knee cap and a muscle/skin graft taken from my right side of the calf to fill in the hole where the tumour was. That meant the peroneal nerve was traumatized. Apparently, sometimes nerve damage can result in the nerve dying. The recovery of the nerve is about 1 millimetre per day (I believe) hence, it takes weeks and months in order for the nerve to repair itself. I am hoping my nerve damage will heal itself over time. In the meantime, I exercise and am using a sock-like foot prosthetic that can be adjusted to raise the foot in comfortable increments. I also use a foot splint at times.
Has anyone else dealt with footdrop caused by leg surgery?
Peter Posted by: PeterDixon
Are there any tips on how to treat foot drop caused by leg surgery?
Posted by: PeterDixon
How can the foot be kept vertical in bed?
Posted by: Vladimir
Foot Drop
Can you recommend me what can I do further with this disease? Here is the short history of my disease. 3 years ago my right leg became weaker. It was not at once, but during 5-6 months. During this period, at night, was the spasms of gastrocnemius muscle, starting form the foot and, from night to night, rising higher, to the ankle. I made a lot of analysis: MRI (no problem), blood (no problem) etc. None of the doctors didn't find the reason of disease. Now I can raise my foot just a little - there is no strength in muscles. What can you recommend to me?
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