National Foot Drop Awareness Day in the UK takes place on 19 September this year and in this article, Huseyin Kahyalar, an associate in our Personal Injury team, sets out the importance of the event and provides a brief summary of the support available for those living with foot drop.

What is foot drop?

Foot drop is defined by the National Foot Drop Society (“NFDS”) as “a muscular weakness or paralysis which makes it difficult to lift the front part of your foot and toes”. Foot drop is usually caused by nerve damage to the leg due to an injury or neurological condition.

Symptoms of foot drop vary but can include dragging of the foot and instability in the foot. It can have a profound impact on a person’s daily life.

What is the importance of National Foot Drop Awareness Day?

National Foot Drop Awareness Day was launched by Jon Graham, who is a specialist Neurophysiotherapist and Founder of the NFDS. This initiative was launched over five years ago.

The main purposes of National Foot Drop Awareness Day are to raise awareness of foot drop, educate people about its impact and to promote treatments and management strategies.

Foot drop in personal injury claims

At Stewarts, we often act for clients who have foot drop following a serious incident. As personal injury lawyers, we use the claims process to secure early interim payments to fund treatment and appropriate equipment for them.

Foot drop is not a specific condition but rather a symptom. Therefore, it is paramount to deal with the underlying cause when it comes to treatment. The appropriate treatment programme will depend on a person’s circumstances but it often includes physical therapy, ankle-foot orthosis (“AFOs”) and functional electrical stimulation (“FES”). Input for clients is arranged under the guidance of specialist medical professionals.

There are lots of specialist AFOs and FES available to those with foot drop such as the Turbomed Xtern and Bioness Go and we look to secure funding for the product that is being recommended for our client. The Turbomed Xtern is an AFO that is fixed to the outside of the shoe. There is no skin contact which reduces the risk of pressure injuries and blisters. It also offers a spring-like lift to the foot which helps people walk more effectively.

The Bioness Go is a FES device that analyses a person’s walking pattern and gives off stimulation at the precise point in the gait cycle. This system allows people to have a more natural gait. With the Bioness Go, the risk of falling is reduced and people regain more independence in walking.

With appropriate treatment and support, some clients’ foot drop will resolve. However, this is not always the case but at the very least, their symptoms either become more manageable or they have a better understanding of foot drop.

Conclusion

If you are personally affected by foot drop or know anyone who is, then please consider reaching out to NFDS. They have guidance on their website which may be helpful too. It is important that people with foot drop know that there is support and treatment available to them.