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. Today we honor and celebrate all those who have or have had foot drop with National Foot Drop Awareness Day.
For more information about National Foot Drop Awareness Day, please visit National Foot Drop Society’s website. NFDS does wonderful work supporting those with foot drop and raising awareness about this condition.
If you have a story you’d like to share about your foot drop caused by nerve damage from childbirth, we’d love to hear it, support you, and share it, if you desire. Feel free to contact me at info@nervedamagefromchildbirth.com.
- Mayo Clinic. “Foot Drop.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/foot-drop/symptoms-causes/syc-20372628
Nerve Damage from Childbirth 