Help-
Working together to make a difference
Proventus
It is important to remember that MS is only one part of a person and not the person.
MS does not represent them, it is not their identity, they are as normal as the next person.
Donate
Online
Foot Drop - Dropped Foot
Impaired or Absent Voluntary Dorsiflexion of the foot. The normal heel-toe pattern
of walking (gait) is disturbed, causing the toes to touch the ground before the heel
causing a drop foot movement.
Conditions leading to foot drop may be
- Neurological.
- Muscular.
- Anatomic in origin.
Some causes
- An injury to the muscles that control the ankles and toes.
- An injury to the nerves in the lower spine or leg.
- Long-
term nerve damage of diabetes. - Nerve damage during hip or knee replacement surgery.
- Pressure to the nerve on the outside of the shinbone just below the knee (peroneal nerve).
- Various forms of muscular dystrophy.
- Various forms of compartment syndrome, a condition characterized by the compression of nerves and blood vessels within an enclosed space.
- Central nervous system disorders. Disorders that affect the spinal cord or brain.
- Drug reaction.
Various medications may have a toxic effect that leads to foot drop. The result is an abnormal gait which may result in tripping and lose of balance.
Functional electrical stimulation
A form of treatment to aid mobility in a number of conditions. It was first used in 1961 to correct dropped foot in people who had had a stroke and has been used with people with MS since 1977.
Dropped foot is the inability to lift the foot and toes when swinging the leg forward during walking. This causes the toes to catch or the foot to drag on the ground.
Some may compensate for the effects of dropped foot by altering the way that they walk, which can lead to further problems such as pain in the hips or lower back, a tightening of muscles and poor balance.
FES compensates for the interrupted messages from the brain by applying an external
stimulus to nerves. Self-adhesive electrodes are placed on the leg and connected
to a small stimulator.
Small electrical impulses are used to excite the nerves that supply affected muscles producing basic movement.
The impulse is activated by a pressure sensitive switch in the shoe, causing the foot to tilt to the correct angle when lifted. When the foot is placed on the ground again, pressure is reapplied to the switch and the stimulation ceases.
Who may benefit from FES?
- As FES applies stimulation along the existing nerves, the nerve fibres between the spinal cord and the muscles they supply must be undamaged.
- FES allows renewed movements in weakened muscles, and is used to complement physiotherapy exercises and to allow people to build up strength and range of movement.
- FES does not protect the nerve pathways from further deterioration. For some people this will mean that there will come a point when FES is no longer effective.
- Electrical stimulation causes a tingling 'pins and needles' sensation on the skin. Some people with MS are quite sensitive to changes in sensory input and may find the effect uncomfortable.
Other web sites
Walking Aids -
Odstock Medical Limited -
Odstock Medical Limited -