Foot drop, or dropped foot, is not a specific disease, rather it is a symptom caused by weakness of the muscle located on the front of your shin that allows you to pull your toes up and toward your body, according to the Northern California Neurosurgery Medical Group. The most common cause of the condition is an injury to or pinching of the nerves running down your spinal cord in your lower back. Treatment for foot drop is commonly prescribed based on the cause of your condition, but can include everything from wearing a brace to surgery to therapeutic exercise. Talk with your doctor if you're suffering from this condition before beginning any exercise program.
Plantar and Dorsiflexion
Sit or lie down with your affected foot elevated off the ground by placing a rolled-up towel or other cushion under your calf. Use the muscles located on the front of your shin to pull your toes toward your body while holding your lower leg still. Hold this position for several seconds and then press your toes down and away from your body. Hold for several seconds and then return to the starting position and repeat. Perform this exercise using both legs if your condition affects both legs, according to OsteopathClinic.com.
Inversion/Eversion
Sit in a comfortable chair with your back pushed against the backrest. Lift your injured foot off the ground and slowly turn your foot inwards as if you were trying to look at the bottom of your foot. Hold this position for several seconds and then reverse the position by turning your foot out and away from the center of your body. Hold for several seconds and then repeat with the other foot. As you progress with this exercise you can use ankle weights around the top of your foot to make it more of a strengthening workout.
Foot Circles
You can perform this exercise from a seated or lying position. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie down with your foot off the ground. Begin moving your foot in a circular motion while keeping your lower leg stationary. You may want to begin by moving in a clockwise motion, but do move your foot in both directions. Repeat six times in each direction. Perform this exercise using both feet.
Marble Pick-Up
This exercise is recommended after your condition has improved somewhat, and can help develop manual dexterity in your feet, according to the alternative medicine website Aysheveda.com. Put 10 to 20 marbles on the ground and use the toes of your affected foot to pick them up and place them in a container. The website notes that performing this exercise several times a week can help improve strength in your feet.
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