Foot drop or drop foot, is a general term for difficulty lifting the front part of the foot. It happens when you can’t raise the front part of your foot due to weakness or paralysis of the muscles that lift it.
Foot drop may cause a person to drag their feet on the floor when they walk. To avoid this, a person with foot drop may raise the thigh more than usual when walking as though they were climbing stairs. This way of walking, called steppage gait, causes the foot to slap against the floor with each step, sometimes causing the skin on the top of the foot and toes to feel numb.
Foot drop isn’t a disease. It is more a sign of an underlying neurological, muscular, or anatomical problem. Foot drop has several possible causes, typically due to an issue with your nerves and/or muscles. The most common causes are lumbar radiculopathy and peroneal nerve injury. Other causes include:
- Brain conditions
- Motor neuron conditions
- Peripheral neuropathies
- Muscle conditions
To diagnose foot drop, a healthcare provider will perform a physical exam, which may show:
- Loss of muscle control in your lower leg(s) and foot/feet
- Muscle atrophy in your foot or leg
- Difficulty lifting your foot and toes
Your healthcare provider may also order any of the following tests to find the underlying cause of foot drop, including:
- Imaging tests such as X-rays, ultrasound, and/or an MRI to look for compression or damage in your legs, spine, or brain
- Certain blood tests, such as a blood sugar test to check for diabetes and diabetes-related neuropathy
- Nerve conduction tests to examine how your nerves are functioning
- Electromyography to measure the electrical activity in your leg muscles
Foot drop treatment depends on what is causing it. Sometimes foot drop is temporary, but it can be permanent. If the cause is a chronic condition like multiple sclerosis or ALS, foot drop may be permanent. Possible treatments for foot drop include:
- Physical and occupational therapy to help stretch and strengthen your muscles and help you walk better
- Braces, splints, or shoe inserts to help support your ankle and foot and keep it in a more natural position
In some cases, people need surgery to relieve pressure on their peroneal nerve or to repair it. If you have chronic foot drop, your healthcare provider may suggest fusing your ankle or foot bones. Or you may have tendon surgery in which a surgeon transfers a tendon from your other leg to the muscle in your affected leg to help it pull your foot up.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of foot drop, you can consult with a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7246.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.