A patient with a foot drop develops the steppage gait.
Clinical features:
(1) weakness of the muscles causing dorsiflexion of the ankle joint
(2) when the patient lifts the foot while walking the toes point down due to lack of dorsiflexion
(3) to compensate for the drooping toes the patient lifts the leg higher. If the cause affects an upper motor neuron, then the patient may show a high-steppage gait (cock-walk gait)
(4) the foot either has its toes drag on the ground or the foot slaps down
The foot drop may be bilateral or unliteral.
Complications:
(1) impaired mobility
(2) falls
(3) skin abrasions if requires a leg brace
Causes are diverse and may include:
(1) trauma, including fractures of pelvis, tibia or fibula
(2) tight leg cast
(3) prolonged positioning in the lithotomy position
(4) nerve compression
(5) vasculitis
(6) acquired demyelinating neuropathy (chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, other)
(7) hereditary neuropathy (Charcot-Marie-Tooth, alkaptonuria, other)
(8) exposure to toxins
(9) chemotherapeutic agents
(10) infection
(11) diabetes
(12) alcohol abuse
(13) total knee arthroplasty
plus other conditions
