Today is National Foot Drop Awareness Day.
Foot drop is when a person has difficulty lifting the front part of their foot. If a person has foot drop, the front of their foot might drag on the ground when they walk. Foot drop is not a disease itself; it is a sign of an underlying neurological, muscular or anatomical problem. These problems can be caused by a nerve injury, muscle disorder, nerve disorder, brain disorder, or spinal cord disorder.1 For women who have sustained foot drop from childbirth, generally it is their peroneal nerve that has been affected.
Foot drop after childbirth can be devastating (as can all foot drop). It can be hard to diagnose, hard to get proper care, hard to care for oneself, and hard to care for one’s new baby. Experiences and moments a new mom hoped for can be ripped away, while she just tries to get through the day with one or both of her feet and ankles not working properly.
Hopefully with more awareness about foot drop and nerve damage from childbirth, we can prevent more of these injuries and protect more women from these situations. On this day of awareness, here are two important stories about women who have had foot drop from childbirth:
Foot Drop Awareness Day: 2 Years of Recovery
Get Back Up Today Inspiring Stories: Sarah Schwab
For more information about peroneal nerve damage from childbirth, please visit our link above “Peroneal Nerve Damage.” For more information about foot drop, please visit the “National Foot Drop Society.”
- Mayo Clinic. “Foot Drop.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/foot-drop/symptoms-causes/syc-20372628
Nerve Damage from Childbirth 