Exercises that strengthen your leg muscles and help you maintain the range of motion in your knee and ankle might improve gait problems associated with foot drop. Stretching exercises are particularly important to prevent the stiffness in the heel.
Treatment for foot drop
Sometimes it can get better on its own. Common treatments for foot drop include: physiotherapy to strengthen or stretch the muscles in your leg and foot. braces, splints or shoe inserts to help hold the foot in position.
In some cases, treating the cause will also cure foot drop. If the cause is a chronic or ongoing illness, foot drop may be permanent. Certain people may benefit from physical and occupational therapy.
Can foot drop be corrected with exercise? – Related Questions
Foot drop is caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in lifting the front part of the foot. Causes of foot drop might include: Nerve injury. The most common cause of foot drop is compression of a nerve in your leg that controls the muscles involved in lifting the foot (peroneal nerve).
What is the main cause of foot drop?
The most common cause of foot drop is peroneal nerve injury. The peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. It supplies movement and sensation to the lower leg, foot, and toes. Conditions that affect the nerves and muscles in the body can lead to foot drop.
Drop foot recovery can be expected in up to 3-4 months depending on the procedure or surgery required. Full recovery from a dropped foot is expected with most patients.
Foot drop following a neurological injury such as TBI or stroke may take months or even years to improve. Each individual is unique and recovery varies widely, so it is best to focus on your independent rehab journey and avoid comparing to other cases.
If the underlying cause can’t be treated, foot drop may be permanent. Some nerve damage can heal but full recovery can take up to two years. In addition to treatment of the underlying problem, specific treatment may include: Braces or splints.
Most people will fully recover from foot drop. Some patients who have foot drop that is caused by a more serious condition may never recover fully from the condition.
With a rigid brace, you’ll find it easy to stand, but your movements will still be limited to walking. However, if you go with an articulated splint, you will recover nearly normal use of your legs. Our hinged AFO brace for foot drop will let you walk, run, drive any vehicle, and even practice any sport.
How can I tell if I have foot drop?
- Dragging or scraping your toes on the ground when you walk.
- Loss of sensation on the top of your foot.
- Curled toes.
- Numbness in your lower leg.
- Feeling weak in your leg, ankle, or foot.
And the higher up the nerve path the nerve is pinched or otherwise damaged, the longer the foot drop recovery time. Generally speaking, the nerves involved in foot drop heal at a rate of roughly 1/4” per month.
Start by trying to lift your toes and foot off the ground. If you can lift the foot off the ground – assist the foot through its full range of motion, bringing the toes up towards the shin. Try to hold it there. If not performed successfully, this is a positive sign for foot drop.
A lesion of the L5 root, lumbar plexus, sciatic nerve, common peroneal, or the deep peroneal nerve can potentially lead to foot drop due to the weakness of the anterior compartment musculature.
To repair a damaged nerve, a surgeon removes a small part of the sural nerve in the leg and implants this nerve at the site of the repair. Sometimes the surgeon can borrow another working nerve to make an injured nerve work (nerve transfer).
A short burst of electrical stimulation is applied to the common peroneal nerve between the popliteal fossa and the fibular head. This burst is controlled by a switch in the heel of the affected limb. The stimulator is activated when the foot is lifted and stopped when the foot contacts the ground.
