Can spinal problems cause drop foot?
Brain and spinal cord disorders. Disorders that affect the spinal cord or brain — such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis or stroke — may cause foot drop.
Can spinal stenosis affect your feet?
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. This lower back condition refers to the spinal nerve roots being compressed or choked, which may lead to referred foot pain symptoms including weakness, numbness and a tingling sensation in the foot.
What spinal level is foot drop?
Foot drop is defined as a weak anterior tibialis muscle (on foot extension) and is usually caused by lower motor neuron (LMN) disease. Common causes are L4-L5 radiculopathy, caused by either a herniated nucleus pulposus or foraminal stenosis, and peroneal peripheral neuropathy.
Can spinal stenosis cause gait problems?
Gait problems Lumbar spinal stenosis (in the lower back) may cause gait problems due to foot drop. The condition may also cause weakness in thigh and leg muscles, such as the quadriceps and the calves.
Can bulging discs cause foot drop?
Nerve compression that leads to foot drop is typically caused by a herniated disc in the lumbar spine, specifically at L4-L5; the fourth and fifth vertebrae in the low back. Most herniated discs get better with time and do not require surgery.
Can foot drop Be Reversed?
Foot drop can be temporary or permanent. A brace can help hold your foot in a more normal position. Treatment for foot drop depends on the cause. If the cause is successfully treated, foot drop might improve or even disappear.
How does spinal stenosis affect walking?
If you have lumbar spinal stenosis, you may have trouble walking distances or find that you need to lean forward to relieve pressure on your lower back. You may also have pain or numbness in your legs. In more severe cases, you may have difficulty controlling your bowel and bladder.
What are the symptoms of severe spinal stenosis?
Symptoms of spinal stenosis caused by compression of the nerves include pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the path of the nerve being compressed. Symptoms of spinal stenosis that develops in the neck include myelopathy, numbness, tingling, weakness, or cramping in the arms and hands.
What causes bilateral foot drop?
Bilateral isolated foot drop is a very rare condition and occurs with various metabolic causes like lead poisoning, Crohn’s disease (1), hypothyroid myopathy (2), anorexia nervosa (3) and post electroconvulsive therapy (4).
What is a dropped foot caused by?
Foot drop is caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in lifting the front part of the foot. The underlying causes of foot drop are varied and may include: Nerve injury. The most common cause of foot drop is compression of a nerve in your leg that controls the muscles involved in lifting the foot.
What is mild foraminal stenosis?
Mild cases of neural foraminal stenosis usually don’t result in any symptoms at all. If the neural foramen narrows enough for a nerve root to become compressed, it can lead to: back or neck pain. numbness or weakness of the hand, arm, foot or leg.