Foot Drop Surgery
What is a Foot drop?
The MS connection
for the reason that MS disrupts communication between the brain and the body, nerve-related issues are common. Feelings of numbness or tingling in the extremities are normally the earliest signs and symptoms of MS.
Nervous system issues can become seriously complicated. Foot drop might also be the outcome of a peroneal nerve injury. People with MS may additionally have peroneal muscle weakness that leads foot drop.
This muscle goes down the outer leg and connects to the foot. The peroneal nerve is a division of the sciatic nerve, which begins in the lower back and goes down the leg. However, MS may also make other muscle in one or the two legs to turn out to be weak also, making you the feeling of instability on your feet.
Other causes of foot drop
despite the fact that MS is a common cause of foot drop, the gait-related issue is connected with other conditions and health situations. These include:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease
Muscular dystrophy
Stroke
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a neurological disorder
Foot drop can additionally be triggered by injuries to the nerves that manage the muscles that lift the foot. The affected nerves can also be in the knee or in the lower spine. Hip or knee replacement surgical procedure and diabetes can once in a while cause foot drop. Nerve damage in the eye, which can bring about pain when moving the eye or even loss of vision, can make walking to be very difficult.
Your treatment options
Foot drop treatment rely mainly on the cause of the condition and the degree of the disability. Treating a herniated disc, for example, might also remove foot drop. But spinal surgical procedure may not clear up the issue for individuals with MS.
Orthotics
A range of orthotics, such as braces and splints, are obtainable. Some are worn in the shoes, whilst others are worn round the ankle or close to the knee. One extensively used device is the ankle foot orthosis (AFO). It helps maintain the foot at a 90-degree angle to the lower leg to give it support. While it can assist enhancing your gait, it can additionally be a problem, and might also require a large shoe to accommodate the brace. An AFO may end up becoming uncomfortable if worn for a long period of time.
Electrical stimulation of the peroneal muscle when walking can assist lower the signs of foot drop. This remedy is as well referred to as functional electrical stimulation (FES). Small devices worn close to the knee react to the motion of the leg and ship moderate electrical stimuli to the muscle to assist it move properly.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy can as well help. A range of workout routines can reinforce the leg muscles and enhance flexibility. Working with a physical therapist with knowledge of MS and foot drop can be very helpful.
Surgery
If orthotics or physical therapy don’t bring the condition under control, there are a number of surgical options that can also help. A healthy tendon from any other part of the body can be grafted onto the leg and foot. Nerve grafting is additionally an option. A healthy nerve is removed from somewhere else in the body and positioned in the leg so that it can stimulate the peroneal muscle better.
Another kind of surgical treatment fuses the foot and ankle to cast off the burden from the peroneal muscle. But this procedure reduces the flexibility of the ankle.
All surgical procedures have risks, so it’s necessary that you speak with your doctor about all your treatment options. If you’re going to have an operation, be sure to grasp the risks, benefits, and long-term outcomes of your choice.
Living with foot drop
Having to Walk with foot drop can make you self-conscious and tire you out. But like some different MS symptoms, it can commonly be managed very well. Foot drop doesn’t have to be continued without help. Discussing with your doctor and being geared up to work with a physical therapist are two of the viable steps you can engage to treat your foot drop.
Disclaimer: The information provided herein is for patient general knowledge only and should not be used during any medical emergency, for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Duplication for personal and commercial use must be authorized in writing by Surjen.com.
