Foot drop refers to the dysfunction of the muscles that lift your foot off the ground.
Foot drop can be a very disabling problem to have as it can cause falls and further injury.
Among other reasons, foot drop can be due to injury of the peroneal/tibialis anterior muscles, stroke, balance issues, medical problems (diabetes, parkinson’s, etc) sciatic nerve injury, common peroneal nerve injury, or compression of either L4, L5, or S1 nerves (disc herniation, bone spurs, stenosis, scoliosis etc).
Think of a nerve being the telephone cable that transmits information from the spinal cord to a muscle muscles in the ankle (it’s final destination). If this telephone cable is injured anywhere along the route, foot drop can occur.
Diagnosis
The success of treatment options depend on an accurate diagnosis, using a combination of but not limited to: physical exam, x-ray, CT scan, MRI, diagnostic injections, and EMG investigation.
Treatment
Treatment options include therapy, strengthening, steroids, creams, anti-inflammatories, neuro-modulating medicine, muscle relaxants, injections, and surgical decompression, surgical fusion, or surgical disc replacement. A custom treatment plan is recommended for each and every patient.