Foot drop finding
This patient has a right foot drop with weakness of ankle dorsiflexion and preservation of plantar flexion.
[Doctor] Ma’am, can you please point your toes to your head? Okay, I’m now going to push down, don’t let me. Good.
[Doctor] All right, this one, can you do it with this one? Is that the best you can do?
[Patient] Yes.
[Doctor] Okay, can you point your toes down, as if you were pressing the gas pedal? Okay, I’m going to push up, don’t let me. Good. Can you do it with this foot? Good. Thank you.
About foot drop
Foot drop is due to weakness of ankle dorsiflexor muscles. Patients with a foot drop may need to lift their affected foot high when walking to avoid dragging their toes and tripping. This is called "steppage gait."
Localization
Foot drop is most commonly due to a peroneal nerve or an L5 nerve root lesion. Peroneal nerve palsies are usually due to compression of the nerve against the fibular head in the lateral knee. Patients with peroneal nerve palsies have strong foot inversion. Patients with foot drop due to an L5 radiculopathy have weak foot inversion.