Foot
Drop

Foot drop can be unilateral (affecting one foot) or bilateral (affecting both feet). 

Foot drop is a symptom of an underlying problem and is either temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. 

Causes include: neurodegenerative disorders of the brain that cause muscular problems, such as:

• multiple sclerosis, stroke, and cerebral palsy
• motor neuron disorders such as polio
• some forms of spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease)
• injury to the nerve roots, such as in spinal stenosis
• peripheral nerve disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or acquired peripheral neuropathy
• local compression or damage to the peroneal nerve as it passes across the fibular bone below the knee
• muscle disorders, such as muscular dystrophy or myositis.