Drop Foot Syndrome

What Is Drop Foot Syndrome?

Drop foot syndrome is a neurological condition caused by damage to the peroneal nerve that makes it difficult or impossible for a person to lift the front part of the foot. This leads to a gait disturbance; the patient drags the foot while walking or raises the leg abnormally high to avoid stumbling (steppage gait). It is less a disease in itself and more a sign of an underlying neurological or nerve problem.

What Are the Causes?

Any condition that compresses or damages the peroneal nerve can cause drop foot:

• Stroke (brain or spinal cord origin)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Lumbar disc herniation with nerve root compression
• Trauma or surgery around the knee
• Habitual leg-crossing
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Treatment Approach at ROMMER

At ROMMER, each patient's clinical picture, underlying cause, and quality-of-life goals are evaluated together to create a personalised rehabilitation programme:

• Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES): Low-frequency electrical current stimulates the peroneal nerve to retrain the foot-lift movement.
• Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO): An appropriate orthosis is selected to ensure safe gait and reduce fall risk.
• Neuromuscular Re-education: Proprioception and coordination exercises strengthen the nerve-muscle connection.
• Balance and Gait Training: Patient education and assistive device adaptation are provided to establish a safe walking pattern.
• Botulinum Toxin (Botox): Applied when necessary to reduce antagonist muscle spasm and support functional gains.

What to Expect During Recovery?

Rehabilitation started early can accelerate peroneal nerve regeneration and increase functional gains. Depending on the degree of nerve damage and the underlying cause, full recovery is possible in some patients, while in others significant progress is made in maintaining gait safety and quality of life.