Yes it definitely makes sense. For me, my legs are strong enough (just about) to hold me up mostly. My foot drop is terrible, I cannot lift my right foot, not even my big toe, at all. But the lift given by the FES is enough to help me to walk (using a walker) just a bit.
But my mobility is generally crap.
It is possible to get FES to help you to lift your leg, by stimulating the quadriceps - but that means you’ve got to get the electrodes in the right place on your bum! Which is obviously easier said than done.
It does sound like if you can improve your leg strength then you’ll be better off. And if you are managing to use other means to just help to lift your foot, then you’ll be OK.
So maybe you need to have a doctor take another look at the drugs you take. You’d probably benefit massively from a neurological rehabilitation specialist. I’m very lucky in that I have a rehab doctor who is great at both drugs and physical means of enhancing mobility.
I was given an AFO by a neuro-physiotherapist. I had to get shoes to accommodate it. As I have trouble with laces I went for Velcro fastenings. There’s a company called Hotter that does shoes with removable insoles. This gives a bit of extra room in one shoe while allowing a normal fit in the other. I have an FES unit, but it’s not a walking one. It’s just to try to strengthen the ankle muscles. If it doesn’t work I may end up with walking FES. The AFO doesn’t do much for me.
It’s an Ankle Foot Orthotic device. A SAFO is the same but made of Silicone. Ie Silicone Ankle Foot Orthotic. Both are designed to hold your foot in the correct position to be able to walk. So they help people with drop-foot (or foot-drop) to walk without dragging their toes, bumping the floor with toes, or ‘hitching’ the hip to swing the affected foot out. Many people find these devices are sufficient to correct their walking problems. Other people (like me) have problems picking their foot up plus problems lifting the knee and / or making the hip do the right thing. The FES often helps send the signal more clearly right up the leg. So can make walking easier than just a static device holding the foot in place. Sue
Sue’s right with her definition of AFO. The reason it’s not helping is that I have foot slap, not foot drop. Although my foot drags when I’m tired, the problem is with the heel-to-toe motion. The AFO braces my foot in one position, preventing any ankle movement. If anything, this makes things worse. The FES unit works the muscles that point the foot as well as the ones that raise it. My GP said that he could feel the weakness in my calf muscles when I saw him with the problem nearly two years ago.
We are all such weird and wonderful creatures with MS. There is definitely no such thing as ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to drugs, treatments, walking devices, wheelchairs, in fact anything.
Which is why I’ve gone through so many different trials with walking devices. And I can still only do a few metres with an FES and a walker.
And in fact, I’ve had to push and ask for referrals all over the place. And had to pay for all my own foot-drop aids apart from the most useless item of all - the Neurodyn orthotic which was all I was given on the NHS. Actually I just remembered, they did offer me an iron thing which didn’t fit my foot at all. I was told I have ‘bony heels’ which is why it was unwearable by me. That was all that was available.
I started using a footup for my foot Drop about 15 years ago. 11 years ago, my foot drop was worsening and I needed something more. Unfortunately the FES did nothing for me (I’ve also trialled the FES twice since, disappointingly each time, it did nothing for me). I tried the SAFO and it was, and still is, wonderful. It cost £700 and lasted 7 years until it needed replacing. The replacement, 4 years ago, was almost £800. For me this is money very well spent, as I wouldn’t be able to walk at all without the SAFO. Very simple to use - splash some talc on the foot in the morning. Put on SAFO. Apply the 3 Velcro straps and that’s it for the day. Oh, I should have said that my foot drop only affects my right foot. The left is absolutely fine. Derek
I have an FES thing and it works really well and I can wear mostly what I’d like too. Unfortunately for me I have difficulty wiring up,I have one naff hand I find attaching the connecters and wires to plugs with one hand that does cooperates problematic and frustrating so tend to wear the toe-off splint more often for sheer ease. I understand that you can have a implanted FES which doesn’t require wires, it would be beyond my wildest dreams to have one of those. Don’t imagen the NHS would be prepared to fulfil my dream but I intend investigating anyway. I am also a right foot dropper but have a suspicion that my left foot is now beginning to droop!