Foot drop, or drop foot as it may also be called, refers to a weakening of the muscles that allow one to flex the ankle and toes, causing the individual to drag the front of the foot while walking and to compensate for this shuffle by bending the knee to lift the foot higher than usual.
A quick way to test for foot drop is to try to walk on the heels. If this proves difficult, drop foot may be present.
While foot drop is a neuromuscular disorder that affects the nerves and muscles, it is not actually a disease in itself but rather a symptom of some other medical problem, possibly by a condition in the low back.
The most common symptom of drop foot, a high step page gait is often characterized by raising the thigh up in an exaggerated fashion while walking, as if climbing the stairs.
Typical treatments for drop foot include: foot drop braces/splints (orthoses), physical therapy, non-surgical treatments, drop foot surgery.
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