HomeAnswersSpine healthfoot dropMy husband's leg is fragile after the surgery for degenerative disc disease. Can physiotherapy help?

Can physiotherapy help in treating a foot drop that occurred after back surgery?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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Published At October 23, 2022
Reviewed AtNovember 4, 2022

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My husband had surgery two weeks ago to fuse his three lowest vertebrae due to degenerative disc disease. He had no issues with his legs or feet before surgery. Since the surgery, his back pain has been gone, but his legs are fragile, he can only walk with a walker, and his left foot has a drop foot. So my main concern for him is the drop foot issue because I recognize that leg strength is something that will have to heal. But, at the same time, the drop foot could be from nerve compression or nerve damage. At his two-week post-operation appointment with the surgeon yesterday, the surgeon said, well, it will get better, or it will not, and wrote him a script for orthotics for his shoes, and of course, he is doing physical therapy as well. My question is, does his drop foot have a good chance of improving just with physical therapy? Should he continue physical treatment, or should we find a specialist and be seen as soon as possible? Everything I am reading says that the quicker a drop foot is addressed (finding out the reason, a compressed or damaged nerve, and getting that dealt with medically), the more chance it has to be 100 % repaired. So time seems to be of the essence. Please help.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I believe foot drop can either be due to a hematoma compressing the nerve or a nerve injury in surgery. If the foot drop does not improve six weeks after surgery, you should find out the cause. Yes, time is essential, and if it does not show signs of improvement within six weeks, then it means there might be a severe injury to the nerve root, it will best to get an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) lumbosacral spine done with contrast (with metal artifact reduction sequence) and continue with a boot splint and physiotherapy only till six weeks.

Follow up with images of the MRI if you get it done.

Or follow up if you have any further queries.

I hope you find it helpful.

Regards.

Probable diagnosis

The probable cause is foot drop after lumbar fusion surgery.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Sharoff Lokesh Mohan
Dr. Sharoff Lokesh Mohan

Orthopedician and Traumatology

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