Active into spring: how electrotherapy can support muscles and joints

A stroke often changes life from one moment to the next. In addition to speech or memory problems, weakness in lifting the foot (medical term: peroneal nerve palsy) is one of the most common motor impairments. Those affected cannot lift the forefoot sufficiently – the gait becomes unsteady and the risk of falling increases significantly.
But what treatment options are there? And when is functional electrical stimulation (FES) a sensible solution?

February is often the coldest and toughest month of the year. The days are short, it’s frosty outside and many of us feel the winter doldrums. It’s worth paying conscious attention to your body and mind right now – small routines can have a big impact.

Foot drop is a neurological symptom in which the foot can no longer be actively lifted. Medically, it is also referred to as foot drop, peroneal palsy, peroneal paralysis, drop foot or colloquially as “foot drop disease”. All of these terms have the same problem in common: the control of the foot lifter muscles is impaired.
Typical is the altered gait pattern, the so-called stepper gait. Those affected lift their knees and hips excessively when walking in order to prevent the toes from getting caught.

Walking is something that most people take for granted – but if you have weak foot dorsiflexion, every step can become a real challenge. Those affected have difficulty lifting the forefoot during the swing phase. The foot drags on the ground, the gait becomes unsteady and the risk of tripping or falling increases significantly.

As the days get shorter, freezing temperatures set in and we spend more time indoors, many people start to feel pain again. Especially in winter, those affected complain more often about back, joint or muscle pain. The good news is that with the right combination of exercise, small everyday measures and modern medical technology, aches and pains can be alleviated even in the cold season.