Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPossible CausesPhysical TherapyResistance Band Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Possible Causes
Physical Therapy
Resistance Band Treatment
If you have suffered an injury or illness that results in foot drop, then you understand how this condition can affect the way you walk. Foot drop can make walking difficult, and it can place increased stress on other parts of your body.Possible CausesFoot drop occurs whenever the muscle in the front of your shin, called the anterior tibialis, fails to function properly.This can occur with various types of injuries including, but not limited to:SciaticaStrokeMultiple sclerosisPeroneal nerve injuryAmyotrophic lateral sclerosisIf your anterior tibialis is not working properly, then when you walk, your foot does not lift up as you are swinging your leg forward. This results in foot drop and a compensatory gaitpattern called a high steppage gait.To clear your foot and toes over the ground while walking, you flex your hip and knee excessively when swinging your leg forward.Gary Ferster / VerywellPhysical TherapyPhysical therapy for foot dropmay help you quickly return to normal walking and mobility. Your physical therapist can use various treatment modalities and exercises to help improve the function of your leg.The main goal of physical therapy for foot drop is to help your anterior tibialis muscle contract properly.Neuromuscular electrical stimulationmay be used. Specificexercises are typically prescribedto improve strength in your anterior tibialis.Sometimes, the improvement in your muscle function is slow, and occasionally damage to the nerve causing your foot drop is permanent. You may require a brace, called anankle foot orthosis, to help lift your foot off the ground while walking.Treatment With a Resistance BandAnother technique your physical therapist may suggest to help lift your toes and foot up while walking with foot drop involves an elastic band. Elasticresistance bandsare often used in physical therapy clinics for exercises, but you can also use one to treat foot drop. Here is how you do it:Obtain an elastic band from your physical therapist. An ACE bandage can also be used.Sit in a chair with your foot resting comfortably on the floor. Make sure you are wearing shoes.Wrap the elastic band around the ball of your foot, then bring it back up your leg to wrap around the knee. Next, bring it back up and down again to make sure it is secure, but not too tight that it cuts off your circulation.When you stand up and attempt to walk, the elastic band will pull up on your foot and toes. This will help clear your foot as you swing your leg forward.The elastic band can help pull your foot up while walking if you have foot drop, but it is only a temporary solution to be used immediately after your injury while your anterior tibialis muscle is still too weak to lift your foot up.If your foot drop is a permanent condition, then an ankle foot orthosis is a more appropriate device to use to help accomplish this task.A Word From VerywellIf you have anterior tibialis weakness that results in foot drop, you may benefit from the skilled services of a physical therapist to help improve your overall function related to walking.Using an elastic resistance band to help lift your foot while walking can be an effective temporary solution for foot drop. This can allow you to maintain appropriate walking ability until your symptoms resolve completely or until a more permanent solution can be found for your foot drop.
If you have suffered an injury or illness that results in foot drop, then you understand how this condition can affect the way you walk. Foot drop can make walking difficult, and it can place increased stress on other parts of your body.
Foot drop occurs whenever the muscle in the front of your shin, called the anterior tibialis, fails to function properly.This can occur with various types of injuries including, but not limited to:
If your anterior tibialis is not working properly, then when you walk, your foot does not lift up as you are swinging your leg forward. This results in foot drop and a compensatory gaitpattern called a high steppage gait.
To clear your foot and toes over the ground while walking, you flex your hip and knee excessively when swinging your leg forward.
Gary Ferster / Verywell
Physical therapy for foot dropmay help you quickly return to normal walking and mobility. Your physical therapist can use various treatment modalities and exercises to help improve the function of your leg.
The main goal of physical therapy for foot drop is to help your anterior tibialis muscle contract properly.Neuromuscular electrical stimulationmay be used. Specificexercises are typically prescribedto improve strength in your anterior tibialis.
Sometimes, the improvement in your muscle function is slow, and occasionally damage to the nerve causing your foot drop is permanent. You may require a brace, called anankle foot orthosis, to help lift your foot off the ground while walking.
Treatment With a Resistance Band
Another technique your physical therapist may suggest to help lift your toes and foot up while walking with foot drop involves an elastic band. Elasticresistance bandsare often used in physical therapy clinics for exercises, but you can also use one to treat foot drop. Here is how you do it:
The elastic band can help pull your foot up while walking if you have foot drop, but it is only a temporary solution to be used immediately after your injury while your anterior tibialis muscle is still too weak to lift your foot up.
If your foot drop is a permanent condition, then an ankle foot orthosis is a more appropriate device to use to help accomplish this task.
A Word From Verywell
If you have anterior tibialis weakness that results in foot drop, you may benefit from the skilled services of a physical therapist to help improve your overall function related to walking.
Using an elastic resistance band to help lift your foot while walking can be an effective temporary solution for foot drop. This can allow you to maintain appropriate walking ability until your symptoms resolve completely or until a more permanent solution can be found for your foot drop.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.B. Katirji.Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences (Second Edition), Published 2014.McCabe FJ, McCabe JP.An unusual presentation of right-sided sciatica with foot drop.Case Rep Orthop. 2016;2016:9024368. doi:10.1155/2016/9024368American Stroke Association.Foot Drop.Taylor PN, Wilkinson Hart IA, Khan MS, Slade-Sharman DE.Correction of footdrop due to multiple sclerosis using the STIMuSTEP implanted dropped foot stimulator.Int J MS Care. 2016;18(5):239-247. doi:10.7224/1537-2073.2015-038John Hopkins Medicine.Peroneal nerve injury.Hu F, Jin J, Chen Q, et al.Dissociated lower limb muscle involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its differential diagnosis value.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):17786. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54372-y
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.B. Katirji.Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences (Second Edition), Published 2014.McCabe FJ, McCabe JP.An unusual presentation of right-sided sciatica with foot drop.Case Rep Orthop. 2016;2016:9024368. doi:10.1155/2016/9024368American Stroke Association.Foot Drop.Taylor PN, Wilkinson Hart IA, Khan MS, Slade-Sharman DE.Correction of footdrop due to multiple sclerosis using the STIMuSTEP implanted dropped foot stimulator.Int J MS Care. 2016;18(5):239-247. doi:10.7224/1537-2073.2015-038John Hopkins Medicine.Peroneal nerve injury.Hu F, Jin J, Chen Q, et al.Dissociated lower limb muscle involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its differential diagnosis value.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):17786. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54372-y
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
B. Katirji.Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences (Second Edition), Published 2014.McCabe FJ, McCabe JP.An unusual presentation of right-sided sciatica with foot drop.Case Rep Orthop. 2016;2016:9024368. doi:10.1155/2016/9024368American Stroke Association.Foot Drop.Taylor PN, Wilkinson Hart IA, Khan MS, Slade-Sharman DE.Correction of footdrop due to multiple sclerosis using the STIMuSTEP implanted dropped foot stimulator.Int J MS Care. 2016;18(5):239-247. doi:10.7224/1537-2073.2015-038John Hopkins Medicine.Peroneal nerve injury.Hu F, Jin J, Chen Q, et al.Dissociated lower limb muscle involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its differential diagnosis value.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):17786. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54372-y
B. Katirji.Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences (Second Edition), Published 2014.
McCabe FJ, McCabe JP.An unusual presentation of right-sided sciatica with foot drop.Case Rep Orthop. 2016;2016:9024368. doi:10.1155/2016/9024368
American Stroke Association.Foot Drop.
Taylor PN, Wilkinson Hart IA, Khan MS, Slade-Sharman DE.Correction of footdrop due to multiple sclerosis using the STIMuSTEP implanted dropped foot stimulator.Int J MS Care. 2016;18(5):239-247. doi:10.7224/1537-2073.2015-038
John Hopkins Medicine.Peroneal nerve injury.
Hu F, Jin J, Chen Q, et al.Dissociated lower limb muscle involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its differential diagnosis value.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):17786. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54372-y
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