Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?.All medications, vitamins or supplements you take, including doses.įor foot drop, questions to ask your care provider include:.Key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.Your symptoms, including ones that seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment, and when they began.Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment. Depending on the suspected cause of foot drop, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in brain and nerve disorders, called a neurologist. You're likely to start by seeing your family care provider. Place fluorescent tape on the top and bottom steps of stairways.Make sure rooms and stairways are well-lit.Move electrical cords away from walkways.If foot drop is long-standing, your doctor might suggest surgery that transfers a working tendon to a different part of the foot to improve function.īecause foot drop can increase your risk of tripping and falling, consider taking these precautions around your house: Depending upon the cause, and if your foot drop is relatively new, nerve surgery might be helpful. Sometimes stimulating the nerve that lifts the foot improves foot drop. Stretching exercises are particularly important to prevent the stiffness in the calf and heel. These exercises might improve gait problems associated with foot drop. Exercises can strengthen your leg muscles and help you maintain the range of motion in your knee and ankle. A brace on your ankle and foot or splint that fits into your shoe can help hold your foot in a normal position. If the cause can't be treated, foot drop can be permanent. If the cause is successfully treated, foot drop might improve or even disappear. Treatment for foot drop depends on the cause. A brace can help hold the foot in position. The most common type of foot drop is caused by injury to the peroneal nerve, which controls the muscles that lift the foot.

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