Drop Foot

Drop foot, or foot drop, is an inability to raise your foot at your ankle, flex your toes toward your body, or turn your foot at your ankle. It is a symptom of an underlying cause, and you may also experience pain, weakness or numbness with it.

The most common cause of drop foot is nerve compression from a herniated disc. At The Bonati Institute, we offer surgical procedures to correct the nerve compression, such as a discectomy, or removal of a spinal disc. Before being referred to surgery, however, your doctor will thoroughly examine you and might order an MRI or CT scan of your spine.

Other Treatments for Drop Foot

Besides the surgeries that we do at The Bonati Institute, there are other treatments that might work for you. Stimulating the peroneal nerve, which lifts your foot when you walk, is an option if the nerve is involved. Orthoses (braces) may be prescribed for your feet or you might have springs placed in your shoes. Physical therapy sometimes works for people who have had strokes or who have multiple sclerosis and drop their feet.

If you develop symptoms of drop foot, see your physician for a thorough workup to determine what is causing it. If you do need back surgery, consider coming to The Bonati Institute, where we offer minimally invasive surgery with a 90 percent success rate. You no longer have to suffer through long hospital stays and recovery times; Bonati procedures are outpatient procedures that patients heal from quickly.