Foot Drop Exercises

There are several foot drop exercises that can be performed by any person who is suffering from this condition. Foot drop is a major problem in a person because it is a visible deformity. This causes the person to have a change in the gait too. So, when a person suffers from foot drop, it leads to severe deformity that can be corrected with Foot drop exercises in the early stages.

When the deformity worsens or when there is no change in the status of the deformity, there are other methods that are followed to get the deformity treated. In spite of all the methods that are available to treat a foot drop, the foot drop exercises are very important and are also the primary method of treating the condition.

There are some important goals of treating the foot drop. The main aim of the foot drop exercises is to make sure that the foot does not have a permanent deformity. It is important to ensure that the deformity can be corrected. So, the stretching of the muscles and the other soft tissue is very important. This will help to keep all the tissues in the optimal length without getting contracted. A contracture will develop if stretching exercises are not performed.

Performing stretching foot drop exercises

Stretching the foot is very easy and is an important component of the drop foot treatment. The foot drop causes the foot to be in the dropped position. So, you have to stand about one foot from a wall and then lean towards the wall. This will stretch the Tendo Achilles tendon. This will help to prevent TA contracture.

Another method of performing the same exercise is by standing on a stair case with only the forefoot on the stairs. The hind foot is in the air and is not supported. Then using your body weight, you have to make the foot go up by making your body weight press on the hind foot. This performs the same function, but is much more difficult to perform unless you are fit.

Active exercises for foot drop

When the muscle is weak, you have to perform active exercise. This can be done with the leg over the other leg. In this position, you have to try and lift the foot up. Even though you may not be able to perform this movement, you will be able to activate the muscle. When you keep doing this kind of exercise for a regular period, the muscle may start functioning.

Strengthening the Tibialis anterior in the recovery period

When the foot drop is recovering, the Tibialis anterior muscle needs to be strengthened. This can be done by using a small weight to be tied to the anterior aspect of the foot. In this position, you should make sure that the foot is lifted up with the forefoot higher than the hind foot. This is one of the foot drop exercises that will help to strengthen the muscle. If this is done repeatedly, the muscle will gain full power and the recovery from foot drop will be complete with the foot drop exercises.

What Is Drop Foot

What is drop foot is a common question that people have in their mind. This is nothing but a condition that is seen in those who suffer from damage to their peripheral nerves. The lateral popliteal nerve is the one that is usually damaged when a person suffers from drop foot. Because of the nerve damage, there could also be associated damage to the muscle and this is what leads to drop foot, also commonly known as foot drop.

The muscle that is damaged is the tibilais anterior. This muscle is the one that helps the foot to be lifted up and when this muscle is damaged, the person will not be able to life the foot from the ground. This lack of ability to lift the foot off the ground will mean that you will not be able to walk in a normal pattern. The foot will keep slapping on the ground and you will wither have to drag the leg or life the leg higher than normal to clear the ground while walking.

For those who wonder as to what is drop foot, they will also benefit from knowing the various causes of this condition that is also known as foot drop. The common reason for the drop foot to occur is direct injury to the lateral popliteal nerve in any gunshot injuries or cut injuries. There are some other causes of this condition too. If a person has damage to a part of the brain or if the brain is diseased as in stroke, there is a generalized weakness or paralysis of the muscles and this too can lead to drop foot.

Those who are suffering from this condition will not be searching for the answer as to what is drop foot, but will be on the lookout for the solution to the problem that they are suffering from. The common method in which the condition can be treated is the use of splints. These splints can either be night splints or they can be day splints. The affected person can also use in shoe splints that are usually very acceptable. Other than the use of splints, which are temporary treatment measures, the use of surgery to correct the drop foot deformity can also be tried. This is a much more permanent remedy. This would be the most comprehensive information for all those who are wondering as to what is drop foot.

What Is Drop Foot

What is drop foot is a common query that we come across from people who do not know much about this disabling condition. Drop foot is also commonly known in many countries as foot drop. This is a problem that occurs when the lateral popliteal nerve gets damaged. The muscles that are supplied by this nerve will also stop functioning because the muscles are provided the necessary action by the nerve.

As far as the lateral popliteal nerve is concerned, it causes the Tibialis anterior to function. When the nerve is damaged or even when the muscle is damaged, it can cause the drop foot to occur. So, what is drop foot really? It is a deformity that occurs in the person. It can lead to unstable walking and can even lead to falls in some people, especially the elderly.

Though you may know what is drop foot, you should also know what to do to correct the problem. The main problem that is present is that the muscle stops working. This can lead to inability of the person to lift the foot up. So, the foot hangs down even while walking and to clear the ground, a person affected by drop foot will need to lift the foot to an abnormal height. This causes a gait pattern that is not nice.

To overcome these problems, the drop foot treatment should start as soon as possible. The early stages after a nerve injury are crucial to cure the condition. If there is a delay in the treatment, then the deformity can become permanent. Then, the only option would be to perform reconstructive surgery, also known as Tendon transfer surgery to correct the Drop foot deformity. So, though there are many answers to the question what is drop foot, the usual answer is that it is a deformity that causes a variation in the gait or walking pattern of the person.

Drop Foot Brace

The drop foot brace is one that will help to prevent you from walking with a limp. This is a brace that will help you to regain the normal walking pattern that you had lost when you got the drop foot.

How drop foot brace helps?

As you already know, rest can take you only so far. In the end, the potential to heal has to be there to get over the drop foot. Sometimes the potential is there, and other times it is not. For example, if you injured your lower back and expect it to heal, then the sciatica you are feeling right now and resulting foot drop may dissipate with time. On the other hand, the drop foot brace will help you walk normally.

Drop Foot Brace: Effective Treatment Options, That Do Not Include Surgery

The drop foot brace, also known as the AFO that is mentioned above is a very helpful treatment option that can definitely help people walk better again. Hands down. It is typically made of low profile plastic and fits into a shoe. This brace is provided by a brace specialist, called an orthotist. These individuals can either give you a custom made AFO or an off the shelf version. Not only that, they can help you facilitate a claim to your health insurance, on your behalf. This means that you might not have to pay a cent out of your own pocket.

A podiatrist will assess your deformity and then prescribe the right kind of brace because there are a lot of drop foot brace types that can confuse an ordinary person!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6110932

Ankle Foot Orthosis

The use of an AFO is very common when a person suffers from a drop foot. The AFO is nothing but the Ankle Foot Orthosis, a device that includes the ankle and the foot to help a person to walk with a near normal gait.

Drop foot is a disorder in which a person is unable to or has difficulty elevating their foot at the ankle joint. This could make walking tough to those who suffer from drop foot, as the toes can tend to drag the floor, that may result in the patient stumbling or becoming unstable on their feet. Individuals with drop foot compensate for the situation by utilizing the muscles in their hip to pick the foot up above the ground, this is known as a step page gait, or conversely they may compensate by swinging the leg to the outside so that the foot clears the floor, that is labeled as circumduction.

As a remedy for drop foot, numerous individuals employ a drop foot brace, also labeled as an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) to help patients to possess a more normal gait. There are several different kinds of braces utilized in the management of drop foot, the kind of brace used will depend upon a patients own particular condition. In treatment, an AFO can be employed in several different solutions to benefit the wearer; in order to have a far better understanding of how a drop foot brace works an individual needs to understand the movement in the ankle and foot areas.

The AFO brace can be used to either provide more stability to a person or it can also be used to provide more mobility to a person. This will depend on the age of the person. The functional need of the patient will also be taken into consideration when the Ankle Foot Orthosis is fabricated.