Bilateral foot drop

[KevinMarshall80]

My wife started experiencing numbness and foot drop in both legs about a month ago.  It hasn't gone away at all, and we have no idea what might be causing it.  We are concerned because it is affecting both legs and not just one.  She can't run any longer, and she is in her mid 20s.  She did fracture an ankle 19 months ago, but she has had surgery and everything is fine now. She had the plate and screws removed a year after surgery. The bilateral foot drop occurred right after she had a kidney stone.  

Does anyone have any idea what might cause this?  

[Cantulope]

This is strange. I had numbness in my left leg, and after a fall, I went to my Dr. - He x-rayed me and found A 14MM kidney stone. Everyone freaked out and forgot about my leg in favor of my stone. During the testing and ultimately surgery I developed foot drop in the left leg. A nurse noticed it and told me I better get it looked at quick. I went to my Dr who sent me to Ortho doc. He said my spine had some debris in it from degenerative disk, and performed surgery. After surgery I had no improvement on the left foot, then the right foot developed the same condition. MANY tests later the Neuro Doc thinks I have Gullian-Barre. I can't walk without a walker because I cannot balance. reach me at ***@****

[twopack]

As Jen said, developing bilateral foot drop is unusual.  Please encourage your wife to get to an orthopedic or neurological specialist as soon as possible.  The earlier a diagnosis is found, the greater the liklihood of reversing this palsy.

Most people with foot drop will raise themselves up on the unaffected leg to be able to swing the dragging toe forward and take a step forward.  I'm not sure how a person compensate when footdrop is bilateral.  I'm surprised she can walk, let alone run.

Is it at all possible that the kidney stone diagnosis was actually back pain?  Please let us know how it goes for you.

Mary

[jensequitur]

It is unusual to have bilateral foot drop.  Usually MS affects one side of the body, or different areas on both sides.  Has she had any problems with her back or spine?

The next step is to get a referral to a neurologist to check this out.  

[KevinMarshall80]

I forgot to mention she does have headaches occasionally, and she was taking medication for a thyroid condition a couple years ago.