Foot drop (or drop foot) is one of the reasons folks might
look at a stumbling multiple sclerosis warrior and assume he or she is just
clumsy (or even intoxicated).
This dastardly MS may prevent one or both feet from getting
clear signals from the brain. Toss in a hearty dose of muscle weakness and some
spasticity in the legs or ankles, and the whole thing can really trip us up.
More than a few MS
warriors don’t wear sandals or open-toed shoes, simply because they have
scraped too many toes because of foot drop. Others steer clear of clogs, mules,
and scuffs, because such footwear tends to offer little support and lots of
slipping potential.
If this persists, an MSer might wear a brace (or two braces)
for added stabilization and steadiness. A cane or walking stick can also be
helpful when foot drop greatly affects the walking gait.
Tripping might draw teasing, if onlookers don’t know why we
do it. We’re not clumsy clods or dreary drunks. We’re just trying to put our
best foot forward, if you catch the drift.
Images:
Word cloud generated by Kicking MS to the Curb - All rights reserved
Word cloud generated by Kicking MS to the Curb - All rights reserved
Series title graphic adapted from public
domain artwork.
You are invited to join the Kicking
MS to the Curb page on Facebook and the Making the
Most of MS board on Pinterest.
My brother-in-law tripped a few times before we knew he had MS. Once the diagnosis was made there were a lot of little "signs" that we remembered.
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