If you have a flabby foot or weakness in the tibialis anterior muscle of the calf, physical therapy may be helpful in helping you correct your rapid stride and restore normal movement and strength to your leg. Your physical therapist will work with you to help you start using your leg normally again.
There are many different physical therapy treatments for foot drop, including stretching, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), elastic bands to lift the foot , or fixation of ankle braces .
Exercise is one of the most important tools you can use to correct foot drop due to tibialis anterior weakness. Foot lowering exercises involve specific movements that help improve strength and neuromuscular load on the tibialis anterior muscle. Stretching the calf muscles is also important when lowering the foot.
A foot drop can be caused by a number of different factors, so it is important to see your doctor immediately if you experience anterior tibial weakness. Your healthcare provider can perform special tests to determine the cause of your fall and guide you on the right path to treatment.
Your physical therapist can help you do the exercises correctly, and this step-by-step program can give you some ideas on where to start.
