Foot drop is a gait-related abnormality in which the forefoot drop occurs either due to weakness, discomfort, irritation or damage inflicted to the fibular nerve, including the sciatic nerve or muscle paralysis in the anterior part of the lower leg.

Diagnosis

A foot drop is diagnosed during a physical exam. A specialist will minutely observe you walk and check the weakness in your leg muscles. He or she may also test for numbness in your shin and the top of your foot and toes.

Treatment Plan

Treatment of foot drop may vary depending on its root cause. If the trigger is successfully handled, the foot drop can improve or even disappear. If the cause is not addressed properly, the condition may turn into a permanent abnormality.

Treatment for foot drop may include:

Introducing Splints and Braces:

A brace affixed to your ankle and foot or a splint that matches your shoe can help in keeping your foot in its ideal place.

Physical therapy.

Exercises that improve your leg muscle strength and help you maintain the range of motion in your knee and ankle can alleviate the problems associated with your foot drop. Stretching exercises are especially helpful in avoiding heel stiffness.

Nervous Stimulation

Strengthening the nerves that raises your foot also helps improve foot drop issues.

Surgery

Depending on the root cause, and if your foot drop is fairly new, nerve surgery can be beneficial. However, if the problem is long-standing, your doctor may recommend an operation to fix ankle or foot bones, or a procedure that moves a functional tendon associated muscle to another part of your foot.

Rinella Prosthetics & Orthotics is committed to offering compassionate and supportive care to Illinois residents by educating and providing details about prosthetic legs, AFOs, SMO braces, baby helmets, and TLSO braces.

We also educate individuals about common issues that may develop with the use of prosthetics and orthotics and how to deal with them effectively. To know more, Give us a call now @ 1-866-746-3552