”Foot Drop” and its Rehabilitation

Also known as ”Drop Foot“, treatment for this disorder depends on the underlying cause. If the cause is successfully treated, foot drop may improve or even disappear.
By definition, “Foot Drop” is the dropping of the front of the foot which may be due to weakness, damage to the peroneal nerve or paralysis of the muscles in the rear portion of the lower leg. It usually is a symptom of a greater problem. It is the inability or difficulty in moving the ankle and toes in an upward position (dorsiflexion). It can occur on one or both feet. Foot drop can be caused by nerve damage alone. However, it is also caused by muscle or spinal nerve trauma, abnormal anatomy, toxins or disease.
The diseases that can cause foot drop include stroke, ALS ( Lou Gehrig’s Disease), muscular dystrophy, Charcot Marie Tooth disease, and MS. Treatment for foot drop may include: a) braces or splints that fit into the shoe and can help hold the foot in a normal position. b) Physical Therapy. Exercises that strengthen the leg muscles and help maintain the range of motion in the knee and ankle may improve gait problems. c) Stretching exercises can be very helpful to prevent the development of stiffness in the heel. Nerve stimulation of the nerve that lifts the foot improves foot drop. d) Surgery. Sometimes nerve surgery may be helpful. The surgery can fuse ankle or foot bones or transfer a functioning tendon to a different position.
If physical therapy is indicated and the patient is ready for the therapy stage then the LEGTUTOR may be effective.
The LEGTUTOR™ system has been developed to allow for functional rehabilitation of the lower extremity including the foot, knee and hip. (It is used for knee rehabiliation following total knee replacement and knee arthroscopy). The system consists of an ergonomic wearable leg brace and dedicated rehabilitation software. The rehabilitation software allows the physiotherapist to set challenging game difficulties to the patient’s movement ability. In this way the patient undergoes controlled exercise rehabilitation practice exactly at their own movement ability. In addition the LEGTUTOR™ system gives the patient constant instructions on how to perform the exercise practice and biofeedback on how well they are performing the exercise. The quantitative biomechanical data from the evaluations in the software is used by the physical therapist to report to the patient and the multidisciplinary team on the patient’s rehabilitation progress.
Thus the LEGTUTOR™ and its sister devices (HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) allow for both upper extremity – shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand therapy and lower extremity – foot, hip, knee, ankle physical therapy using the same rehabilitation concept., The LEGTUTOR™ allows for isolated and a combination of foot, knee and three directional hip treatment. The system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patient’s exercise performance. Controlled exercise of multi joints within the normal movement pattern prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks.
The LEGTUTOR™ system is used by leading rehabilitation centers in the U.S. and European rehabilitation centers and clinics and has full FDA and CE certification. For further details see WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM