question about possible foot drop

[wickie]

I am back in a panic. For the second time in a little over a month I was walking down the hallway at work (completely flat surface) and I scrubbed the toe of my shoe on the carpet. Could this be the beginning of foot drop? Completely freaking out here. Does anyone know what the signs are for the beginning of foot drop? I have read what it means to have it but I can't find anything about the beginning. Some one please help.

 

[vzandt]

Ive stubbed my toe on completely flat surfaces. More then once. Don't panic.

 

[wickie]

Should I be concerned? I saw a neurologist on June 4. Would he have noticed weakness then if I was developing foot drop now? I hate to come on here and ask stupid questions but I don't have any one else to go to. My mom was the person I would normally turn to for these types of questions but I lost her in a car accident in April. My dad just looks at me like I am crazy when I bring up my concerns to him.

 

[HelenL]

Most likely your shoes are a tad longer than another pair and your foot didn't accommodate it... you'd know if your foot was weak.

 

[fitzroy]

Should I be concerned? I saw a neurologist on June 4. Would he have noticed weakness then if I was developing foot drop now? I hate to come on here and ask stupid questions but I don't have any one else to go to. My mom was the person I would normally turn to for these types of questions but I lost her in a car accident in April. My dad just looks at me like I am crazy when I bring up my concerns to him.

This is a stupid question. Sorry.

What you should be concerned about is your anxiety. If you've done any reading on this site or elsewhere on the topic, you'd understand more about what foot drop is. Search the site for threads on AFOs. The people that are talking about those are experiencing real foot drop.

Compare that to your own experience and think seriously about it.

 

[wickie]

I did read a lot of other post about it and I understand what it is. I don't understand how it starts. do you constantly trip or do you trip every now and then? Does your foot drag every time you walk? Twice now the toes on my left foot have dragged across the floor as i was walking down a flat hallway. I did not know if this could be the beginning of foot drop or not. This is all new to me and the neurologist I saw did not explain anything to me to help decrease my anxiety. I apologize.

 

[vzandt]

Your foot does not listen to your brain when it says " lift" and so it does not lift and you either trip or fall

 

[glupavomomiche]

Wow. I've never seen someone panic so much about tripping on a carpet! Fitzroy is right on about your anxiety level. If you are unhappy with the way your neuro handled you, then find another one for peace of mind. Then please see a GP or psychologist/psychiatrist about the extreme anxiety... helping you with that issue is not a neuros job.

Also, footdrop isn't noticed the exact same way in every person. Much of it depends on the type of footwear a person usually wears, walking surfaces encountered daily, any weakness or spasticity in the leg, and many other factors. Trying to poll the PALS on here about it is not productive in any form or fashion.

 

[Ms. Pie]

I felt it in my calves before I had foot drop.

 

[fitzroy]

One last comment (and actually an implied question). It shouldn't be so much about how foot drop starts, but when and what you should do about it. You are nowhere close to needing to worry about that.

 

[Alyoop]

I am only adding to the wisdom of those who have tried to help before, to try and alleviate your persistent anxiety.

Often a person has an audible foot fall.......slapping, before one develops noticeable foot drop. My husband heard my slapping foot, I had not noticed..........

I am now back to normal, but fell on Sunday after tripping over a stone, this does not mean I have foot drop.......it means I am clumsy

 

[ruthiep]

Take a very deep breath and now relax.....I think there's a large majority of us that have tripped or stubbed our foot/toes at some point in the past! It never occurred to me (as a CALS) that there was something wrong. I've done it countless times and realize that sometimes I just get in a hurry and don't pay attention to what I'm doing! Sorry for the recent loss of your mother and that you don't feel that you have someone to turn to. Go see another doc and don't let anxiety get the better of you. Take care

Ruth

 

[kiwisally]

You need to seriously redefine the parameters around experiences which send you into a "panic".

 

[notme]

Try and relax, wickie. Your stubbing the top of your foot walking doesn't mean you'd have foot drop. You'd know if you did, I'm pretty sure. When you lifted your leg, your foot wouldn't be 'level' the toes would be pointed down, and you wouldn't be ABLE to lift them back up.

If there was weakness when you saw the neuro, he'd have mentioned it, I'm sure.

Please try not to let anxiety take over your mind. It can cause more issues than your health can.

Edit to add-- I fall regularly. Almost weekly. Part of it is clumsy and part of it is weakness in my legs--but I don't have foot drop--despite the fact that I catch my toes on stairs almost every time I use them. I can lift my foot just fine when I use conscious effort. I'm sure you can, too.

Look at some video of it if you're wondering