If you have kids or grandkids to take trick-or-treating this Halloween, you will want to make sure your diabetes is under control. One condition you may suffer from, due to nerve damage, is foot drop. It means you are not able to pick your foot up the whole way when you walk, which results in an unsteady gait.
Foot drop is a symptom (not being able to pick up the front of your foot) of an underlying neurological disorder. It can be temporary or permanent. People who suffer from short-lived foot drop may have a leg that is “asleep.” This means that they were probably sitting cross-legged or kneeling for a long period of time and the peroneal nerve was compressed. This uncomfortable feeling usually goes away after a few minutes, but over time it can become a chronic problem. Permanent foot drop is caused by more serious damage of the nerves. Diabetes is a disease that can cause damage, but it’s not the only one. Muscular dystrophy, polio, and strokes may also cause this problem.
It’s important to know what the underlying cause of your foot drop is, because otherwise you will have a harder time treating your symptom. You may try braces or splints to hold your foot in a normal position. Physical therapy may help strengthen your leg muscles, which can make it easier to control the range of motion in your feet. There are different forms of stimulation that can be beneficial for treating foot drop. Severe cases may be improved with surgery. Nerve surgery can help people with newly developed damage or long-standing foot drop.
For more treatment information, call Dr. Peyman Elison at (623) 584-5556 to schedule an appointment at Fixing Feet Institute in Surprise, AZ.
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