Dropfoot Making You Drag Your Feet?

At first, you might wonder if it’s a bad habit you’ve picked up. It’s making you trip up while you walk and your walk seems off. You don’t remember injuring your foot, but it feels numb and tingly on the front part of your foot. You get home and try to move the forefoot up and down, but realize that something is wrong. Your foot is not behaving the way it should and you can’t quite seem to control the front of the foot. What’s going on? It might be due to what’s called Dropfoot (or Foot Drop). It’s not a disease or disorder on its own, but the gait abnormality is a symptom that points to a possible neurological or muscular disorder. An injury to the nerve or muscle can prevent the foot from moving properly. Disorders like muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, or a stroke can result in weakened muscles or nerve control issues. What can you do about it? If you suspect problems associated with dropfoot, the first thing you should do is contact our podiatry office so that our foot care specialists can assess your foot problem. If it seems to be a nerve or muscle problem, we can further suggest that you meet with your health care team to find out the cause of dropfoot. To assist you in your daily life, we can prescribe you treatments including physical therapy, nerve stimulation, shockwave therapy, and/or orthotics, such as a splint or the Richie Brace. A popular orthotic device for dropfoot, the Richie Brace is custom-fitted to you so that you get the exact support you need for your feet while you walk. If necessary, we may even suggest nerve surgery or bone or muscle fusing to help the forefoot lift as you walk. Concerned about possible dropfoot? Come see us at Alamitos-Seal Beach Podiatry Group for a thorough assessment. One of our board-certified podiatrists, Dr. Douglas H. Richie, Dr. Jeremy L. Cook, and Dr. Faye E. Izadi will help you achieve healthier feet at either of our Orange County offices in Seal Beach, CA and Los Alamitos, CA.