Foot Drop.

BLPhill · 04-30-2009, 11:01 AM

Hi All,

Would anybody know how long it takes to develop foot drop once the leg muscles have begun to weaken? Is it immediate, days weeks, months? I didn't recognise my leg weakness for what it was, so i'm not sure how long my legs have in fact been weak.

crystalkk · 04-30-2009, 11:39 AM

Betty,

It depends on which muscles are weak. Are your lower legs weak?
Some people start with foot drop and notice something is wrong because they keep tripping, but don't even have noticable leg weakness.

BLPhill · 04-30-2009, 03:46 PM

Yes, my lower legs are very weak. I really didn't notice leg weakness, except my left knee hurt all the time. but this was several years before I started tripping and doing face plants all the time. My left knee is actually why I initially began to seek medical treatment. After a series of tests and X-rays, they told me there was nothing wrong with my knee. I knew there was or I wouldn't have been in constant pain, so I just continued to take alot of ibuprofen, which barely touched the pain but made it tolerable.

I went to the ER 6 times for broken and sprained bones, concussion, bruises, they still insisted there was nothing wrong. But nothing turned out to be ALS. I am just trying to figure out when it all started.

crystalkk · 05-01-2009, 08:29 PM

Betty,

Did you have foot drop all that time and no one noticed it.......

lydia · 05-01-2009, 09:46 PM

I am curious about foot drop when it first starts....can you elaborate on your experience? I have been experiencing scuffing of the bottom of my foot, and tripping by dragging my toe, for almost a year now. It hasn't seemed to have gotten any worse, at least not in its frequency. However, I now feel as if my foot feels odd when I walk (whereas before it didn't, despite the dragging and tripping). I have had my foot "slap" the ground before, but other than the odd sound it made I wouldn't say that I felt it. I can't really describe this new sensation other than to say I feel really self-conscious about my gait; something is "off"....yet no one comments! How can it not be visible to others? Are they just that polite? Or is it just really all in my head? How do I know?

It isn't that I want it to be visible by others per se, it is just that I want some sort of independent validation that, "yeah, your walking is a little messed up". I want to know that I am not going off the deep end imagining things.

Lydia

Al · 05-01-2009, 10:05 PM

I had leg weakness for a couple of years before foot drop.

AL

laurel · 05-01-2009, 10:23 PM

Hi Lydia,
My husband has CIDP and has footdrop of one foot. He receives treatment with IVIG which does lessen the full blown footdrop that he had in the beginning. Now he has a gait disturbance that probably is not noticeable by a casual observer, but any doctor or spouse would notice it. You can hear the different cadence and slap of the foot when he walks. It is particularly noticeable in stores like Costco where it seems to echo loudly versus not really hearing it when he walks around outside on the driveway etc. He tends to trip over his toe as he isn't lifting up his foot properly, and in general he trips a lot. He doesn't seem to be overly aware of it until he trips or when I elbow him in the ribs at Costco because the plopping sound is driving me mad. I do try to contain that elbowing urge as he can't help it, but it affects me like people who smack their gum <g>.
Laurel

BLPhill · 05-01-2009, 11:19 PM

crystal,

Oddly enough, yes I did. That was after seeing at least 8 DRS. I even asked them "why do I keep falling down", not a one of them could provide me wth an answer.

Al, Thank you, thats what I wanted to know.

lydia · 05-02-2009, 08:25 AM

My weakness is in my thighs. I feel as if I am not lifting the leg high enough when I scuff/drag, but foot drop-isn't that more with weakness in the shins? Only issue there is if I drive for a long period of time, the right shin burns like muscle fatigue.

Laurel, when we go for walks, my daughter can hear my foot hit funny too. I had to smile hearing you elbow your husband, poor guy!

Betty do you know how your leg weakness impacted your knee? I hyperextend the knee alot and have learned it can be due to weak hamstrings (which I have trouble with). That hurts (alot) when it happens obviously, but your pain seems constant-I wonder what the actual connection is.

Lydia

Micheline · 05-02-2009, 08:49 AM

Hi, I started to have weakness before foot drop but not that much time inbetween. It was a matter of months for me.

patricia1 · 05-02-2009, 11:44 AM

I started with foot drop after one year of leg weakness Now I have a brace that helps
Pat 1

wheeler641 · 05-02-2009, 08:43 PM

lydia, I too get a burning sensation in my shins and a feeling like it is going to cramp up. I also usually get it after driving around for a long period of time. I have only got the foot slapping on the floor one time and that was when I was sitting in a recliner for a long period of time with my cat sitting on me, I just could not bring myself to put her down, she looked sooo comfortable, well when I got up my foot was slapping on the floor. It probably was not true foot drop, I think my leg was just numb from sitting in one position too long. It never happenned again, Margaret

Marjorie R. Wilcox · 05-03-2009, 10:20 PM

Just thought I would describe Rick's foot drop. About five years ago I noticed that, especially walking downhill, Rick was placing the ball of his foot down before the heel. He had more trouble keeping his balance going downhill also.

When he sits in his recliner, his feet point to the opposite wall. I cannot push on the bottom of his feet and make a 90 degree angle with his legs. I can just lift my own feet and make probably a 60 degree angle with mine.

When he walks he doesn't sound like I do. There is, as someone said, a certain strangeness to his gait and a sort of slapping down of the front of his feet.

I am not sure which started first, the foot drop, the loss of balance, or the disappearance of the muscles in the calves of his legs.

donnainwash · 05-05-2009, 09:00 PM

Sometime ago someone wanted an answer on why her husband fell down. Recently discovered when
I stepped backward I fell. Dr gave me some exercises to keep muscles working. I then discovered on my own it wasn't weak muscles, but lack of balance. It I lean forward a little bit I can step backwards without falling. I also have a problem stepping sideways.

Does anyone else also have trouble with thinking and memory or is that another problem.

CANADA · 05-06-2009, 02:01 AM

I don't want to sound like another one self-diagnosing from the internet but here goes. About 1 1/2 yrs ago I got a flu that last about 10 days. I never felt like I recovered physically, exhausted ever since. Been clearing my throat constantly and choke on water, small bits of food. Have had unexplained pain and weakness. Started a year ago with sudden sharp chest pains, then my heels were so painful I couldnt walk on them, then my hands and its moved to forearms and upper arms. Mostly when I over exert. Can't hold my arms up even holding the phone for more than couple of minutes. Slurred speech, especially when tired. Trip alot but have been compensating by wearing high boots, cant ever wear any heels. Chronic pain in feet, stiff ankles. Ok, GP has been telling me for a year that she thinks I had a virus, finally got her to make a referral to a rheumatologist but he declined based on blood work, chest xrays etc. Finally getting to a neurologist next week. My feet have always turned in but I noticed in the last 6 months or so they turn in so much when I lay down they touch the bed that way. Also hands, feet and legs often go numb when I sleep? I am not suggesting ALS, but does this sound neurological? Thanks.