How to Walk Again After Developing Foot Drop

Many individuals experience impaired lower-extremity coordination after going through an orthopedic or neurological accident.  Perhaps an illness such as MS, ALS or other disorder has compromised your ability to walk, It in such cases, people often describe this physical ailment as the inability to raise their toes.  Other people will say that their toe or foot drags.  In the medical field, you will see that this condition is more formally known as foot drop.  Often times, hiking the knee is used to help clear the foot after developing drop foot (foot drop) as a means to clear the limb with each step.  This is known as “steppage gait,” and it can lead to deteriorating back conditions if in case the compensation motions are irregular. However, experts these days are suggesting that people wear AFOs, as they have been very effective in such cases.  An AFO can go straight to the source of your foot drop issue and by controlling the angles during your gait, you can successfully clear your limb, usually without hiking the hip and utilizing more energy than is required.

 How Do the Foot Drop Braces Help?

These braces perhaps better known as walking aids, when worn by an individual can certainly lift their foot while walking.  There are many different styles and materials used when it comes to ankle foot orthoses.  However, in the end, they are very light in weight and can be attached to the outer side of the shoes in some cases, if required.  The Xtern AFO is utilized in this fashion.

The best thing about using AFOs is that they not only help people correct their gait mechanics but they can also be billed to insurance or other coverages.  This means that you might not need to pay any money out of pocket to obtain one.  Most are used for walking, but you can talk with your licensed health professional known as an orthotist to get one for running purposes, if required.

Often times people will obtain a cane or walker to help them feel safer when they walk.  These are effective tools but they do not directly address a foot drop issue directly.   AFOs can help you address this issue and it is important that people learn more about this important walking aid.   Especially when the CDC states that more than 1 out of every four older adults falls each year.