Hi there Hazie - what are your symptoms - it sounds very similar - can you lift your foot up towards you easily when it happens?
Hi there Hazie - what are your symptoms - it sounds very similar - can you lift your foot up towards you easily when it happens?
l have had SPMS for 32 yrs - Foot Drop [or foot flop] was one of the first symptoms. lt has caused many falls over the years. l have no movement in my toes - and cannot bring the foot up - toes to knees. My physio has told me the trouble starts just inside of the knee - and if he presses really hard in one spot the foot pops up - this is the spot an FES is positioned. Even ice-cubes placed in that area will get a response. lts good to know that the connection is still there - even though my brain does not know it!
l am having Pilates lessons - one to one. And my instructor has shown me how to stretch and strengthen muscles with a length of hard foam - semi circle. lf l place my toes onto it -heels down - it gives a lovely stretch right up the back of my legs to my ‘gluts’. Also, after watching me walk [with my rollator] she has shown me how to lift the hip on the footdrop side - and surprisingly, it lifts the toe and my leg easily follows through without dragging. lt takes some practice - and conscentration - but it does work.
My rollator [Topro Olympus] is my best friend. l can get to the loo in better time!! And it has a good seat - often needed. Plus l can carry plates when serving dinner - a not so ‘dumb waiter’. The bag part holds all essentail items - phone/tv remote/tissues/chocolate - Have been planting my baskets/tubs etc this week - l can balance a hanging basket on the seat with tools and watering can in the carrier. [Take chocolate out first]
Hi Anon Original Posting Person Sorry my info was a bit limited but I knew lots of knowledgable folk would be along to give you their advice and experiences. (SpaceJacket Pilates sounds really beneficial) Mich x
Hi Anon,
Foot drop was one of my first persistance symptoms and still remains today. It is were you can not lift your foot, up to the required angle, to take a step normally. You are able to obtain support aides with straps, electronic/battery operated devices which can support and lift your foot for you. Try also exercises to strenghten your foot muscles and lower leg, they all help. I still use my rigid supports daily, gets some time getting use to them, but they do help lift my feet, and I can walk more stable now.
Andy
Hi Anon,
Foot drop was one of my first persistance symptoms and still remains today. It is were you can not lift your foot, up to the required angle, to take a step normally. You are able to obtain support aides with straps, electronic/battery operated devices which can support and lift your foot for you. Try also exercises to strenghten your foot muscles and lower leg, they all help. I still use my rigid supports daily, gets some time getting use to them, but they do help lift my feet, and I can walk more stable now.
Andy
Hi,
Sitting here doing my foot drop exercises (lifting foot from the ankle) while reading this post. I’ve got foot drop in my left foot. Worse when my legs are tired. I take Baclofen and amitriptyline. My left foot flops down. When I’mm tired my gait changes and my leg swings roung the side rather than lifting the leg. That’s not good as you can damage your hip, but sometimes there’s no other way.
I do the lunge exercises and my neuro suggested a block of wood in the kitchen to stand on and drop my heels off the back whilst I’m cutting vegetables, good calf stretcher. . Also do heel drops on stairs.
I was assessed a year ago and got a Toe off - google it. It’s a foot/leg splint that keeps the foot up so I don’t trip over my toes. It’s comfortable and fits inside trainers/sandles if you take the insole out.
Keep doing the exerecises, you know they’re good for you!
Jen x
Hi Anon,
I can put my foot down too - it is bringing it up again.
OK this started in June 2008! I went over on my ankle several times in a few weeks. Ankle became very swollen. I just thought I had a weakness from the first sprain. This was June 2008 but I was able to do a marathon walk at the same time. Then in November 2008 I had a MS-like attack with numbness, weakness and l’hermittes etc. I go over this in about 8 weeks and GP thought I had a virus. I did not link this to the ankle problem previously. Then in October 2009 I went for a long walk with a friend and at the end of the walk I got this slapping foot. After a rest of 15 minutes the problem went away. But the same happened again durimg summer 2010 with the next long walk. Although i was able to walk round and play 18 holes of golf. I think with the golf the ptoblem didnt occur due to stops and starts etc . Anyway during Autumn of 2010 I noticed the problem occuring on shorter and shorter walks. This was when I started to attend GPs and Podiatrist etc who all said it was mechanical. I spent £250 on special orthotics etc which did no good.
Saw a neuro privately in Jan 2011. An MRI revealed a high intensity lesion on my spinal cord. He thought the cause my be due to early aging in that area because I had radiation treatment in the neck area for hodgkins lymphoma.
I saw another neuro on the NHS for botox. I didnt get it although he felt the radiation theory was wrong and started testing me for MS. I had more MRIs and a LP. The LP was negative of O’bands (which are seen in MS). He basically couldnt dx MS as there was not evidence for a concrete DX.
He thought that I had a one off type attack which triggered the slow development of spasticity. Spasticity does not just appear like numbness it is always gradual and may only be noticed after the insult/injury to the central nervous system appears to have resolved.
I was given baclofen when it was obvious that spasticity was my problem. The baclofen pump is when they insert a pump containing the drug into your abdomen and the drug goes via a catheter to you CSF (within your spine). It has a much better chance of relieving the spasticity than the tablets.
One easy way to determine whether your problems are merely mechanical is to test your knee jerk reflexes. If they are exagerated then there is definately a problem with your central nervous system.
My calf is so tight and toned. It looks great and strong much stronger and larger than the other one.
Hope this helps.
Moyna xxx
Hi Anon, I can lift my foot up it, it is just is weak and floppy. 
I have bad foot drop, which has caused many falls and stumbles. I’ve had a hard foot splint, which unfortunately didn’t help me much as it was uncomfortable and ‘threw’ out my knee and hip. So it was suggested I try the FES. I went today and spent two hours with the physio. But I’m gutted to say she could not get it to work on me (it worked on her!) so back to hard splint! Hope very much that if you need it, you find some solution that works for you.
Hi All,
I thought I would update you after the physio…
Well, at this moment, I have hope! HOPE! The physio undertook a 1 hr assessment after a full history. I didn’t mention MS/TM until he undertook the assessment. His view was that it was 90% biomechanical (he really listened to the injury parts) after I told him about the MS/TM he stated that at this stage, in his view, he did not feel that it was neurological but he accepts that there is a chance (10%) that it may be neurological.
I was given a set of exercises which I have to do for a month. Just like the podiatrist, he felt I needed orthotics, my calf muscle was almost normal (huge thanks to the lunges via the podiatrist) but the achillies tendon and tendon leading to the second toe are very tight. I have been given a specific set of exercises for those too.
I have to give it a month, if there is not a slight improvement, the physio will have me back for manual manipulation. If things are going well, I continue. He felt it will take 6 months and some hard work but feels it should get 80-90% better.
So, armed with hope and some hardcore exercises, off I go!
Feel free to ask about any of the routines, more than happy to share. xx