Drop foot

I keep hearing about drop foot. I have a righ leg which is weak and I drag it. It feels funny. Don’t know how to describe the felling. It isn’t tingly, but sort of empty and lollopy, spongy and rubbery. Cumbersome and floppy? I drag the foot long with the leg but is tha drop foot? Pat

Hi pat it sounds like drop foot…a test the doctor gave me was to walk across the floor on my heels which I couldn’t do!!! My foot also dragged across the floor so bad when it happened I had carpet burns on the top of my foot, my foot wasn’t numb either it felt like a dead fish hanging on the end of my leg lol! I couldn’t move it at all or my toes…but have to say a year on it is greatly improved have full movement back but my walking still not right and leg def feels weaker but in comparison to what I had is a heck of a lot better…hope this helps. Emma

I have a pair of foot splints that my physiotherapist gave me to keep my foot at 90 degrees from my leg…maybe see if you can get one of these from a physiotherapist?

Hi, I have dropped foot, which was my first symptom. It kept tripping me up. I also dragged the leg, and it felt like a lump of wood.

It can still cause aching and pain as it flops over to the left when lying down or sitting in chairs.

luv Pollx

Sounds like dropped foot, Pat.
Along with the foot dragging, you might also experience trouble bending the right knee.
In fact, it was the knee problem that came before the dropped foot for me.
Watch out for a falling arch on the same foot as well.
Physio should give you exercises to maintain as much flex in the right ankle as possible.
Lots of devices to help you - from the splints that dave38 mentioned, right up to the FES devices.

What matters is that you get professional help as quickly as possible. Your GP can refer you to a Physio (or, better, a Neuro-Physio if there is one handy), and so can an MS Nurse, but you really need a Neuro for an FES referral. It does vary from area to area as to just what help you can get.

Just take note that many of the aids have their own problems:
The “Foot-up” needs lace-up shoes. The "Mus-mate needs you to wear a belt with a cord down to your toe. Some splints will need you to buy new (larger) shoes. An FES means stuff stuck to your lower leg (and on the NHS will mean wires running down your trouser leg).

Just get expert help fast, before it becoms a major problem and the falls start.

Geoff