StrokeSurvivorBlog

Steve has been diagnosed with a condition called foot drop, a side effect of the stroke that is hindering his therapy. Foot drop (sometimes called drop foot) is a condition caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles at the ankle joint, and causes an inability to lift the front part of the foot. This results in Steve dragging the toe of his shoe on the floor, which may lead to tripping and instability.

In order to adapt to the foot drop when walking, some people use their hip muscles to lift their foot off the floor, or they swing their leg outward so the foot can clear the floor. It’s hard enough for Steve to do this because of the weakness in his muscles, and because the ankle-break hasn’t quite healed yet. But it’s even more difficult when wearing the heavy black air cast that’s needed to support his broken ankle. The orthopedic doctor wanted him to wear it until the ankle bone fused together properly.

The tendon in his left leg is slowly being stretched and it feels better when he wears the air cast, but it’s so heavy that it’s hard to move his leg forward. There is a lot of instability in Steve’s knee and it buckles quite easily. So his therapist recommended he be fitted for a support brace to help correct the foot drop and strengthen his ankle and knee. The brace is called an ankle-foot orthotic, also known as an AFO.

Most stroke survivors need one because foot drop is a common occurrence when a stroke affects one or both legs. The AFO is made of light-weight acrylic-type material, and is custom-molded to the foot, ankle and calf. It fits inside of the shoe providing support and makes moving the leg much easier. He wears it whenever he wears his shoes.

The downside to the AFO is that it’s very hot to wear, because the skin can’t breathe through all that acrylic. Steve has a long cotton stocking to wear under it, but his leg still gets sweaty. So I found some moisture-wick sock liners that wicks away the extra moisture from his skin. The AFO is a hassle to put on and take off. Steve can’t do that himself, so someone else must always help him. But it’s a small price to pay in return for the benefit it’s giving him.

Other than that, we’re told that he’s making phenomenal progress in his stroke recovery. Today he wore the AFO for the first time, and walked about 70 ft. using a pronged cane. With the help of the therapist pushing his left foot forward, he really “booked it” down the hallway, and it was so encouraging to see how much the AFO is helping the foot drop.

We so appreciate all your prayers and well wishes. You truly are a blessing to us.