If you suffer from foot drop, you may have started looking into alternative, natural remedies such as homeopathic medicine. The jury is out on the effectiveness of homeopathic medicine, but many patients with foot drop swear by it.
This post will go over some homeopathic treatments and how you can incorporate them into a broader treatment plan for how to cure foot drop naturally.
Foot drop is a condition that prevents you from fully lifting the front parts of your feet as you walk. While foot drop can be permanent in some cases, in many, it is temporary. With appropriate treatment, you may be able to reduce your symptoms or reverse foot drop. Let’s look at the common symptoms of foot drop
Some common causes of foot drop can lead to numbness or tingling sensations. These are most likely to affect your shin or the top of your foot, or both.
If you are experiencing numbness, you may be more prone to tripping and falling, since you have a hard time feeling where your feet are in space. You might also sometimes hurt your feet by stepping on or into objects without fully noting the pain.
As foot drop is defined by an inability to lift the front parts of the feet fully when walking, the result is your toes dragging along the ground as you walk, resulting in shuffling movements. This, too, can make it hard not to trip and fall, especially on uneven surfaces or when trying to step over obstacles.
To try and clear the feet off the ground, a person experiencing foot drop may initiate higher thigh lifts while walking. This produces what is known as “steppage gait.” Every time the person sets down their feet, the feet slap the floor in an unnatural way.
Now that you have an understanding of how foot drop can affect your gait, we can discuss homeopathic remedies for this condition.
Homeopathic medicine was pioneered in Germany in the late 18th century. The theory behind it is that if you give a person a small dose of a natural substance that causes the symptoms they want to treat, it can kick the body’s defense system into gear, resulting in improvement.
Studies on homeopathic medicine have had mixed results. There is no clear scientific basis for why homeopathic remedies would work, though the placebo effect is a possibility. It could also be that some of the substances used are exerting beneficial effects through other mechanisms.
It is up to you whether you want to try out homeopathic remedies for foot drop. If you do, make sure you tell your doctor what you are taking. Also, carefully research any product you are thinking of taking to make sure that it is being manufactured in a way that makes it safe. Below are two remedies to try.
This herb is also called “St. John’s wort.” Some research indicates that it may have neuroprotective properties, which could account for some of why it might be reported as effective for some patients with foot drop.
Nerve pain may accompany foot drop when foot drop is caused by an injury to a nerve. Patients who took St. John’s wort for nerve pain required less pain medication in a research study.
Another popular homeopathic remedy for foot drop is Arnica montana, commonly referred to as “wolf’s bane” or “mountain tobacco.”
Researchers are still not sure whether Arnica montana is effective, but patients use it topically to treat inflammation and pain. WebMD states that it is possibly effective for osteoarthritis.
So, if pain and inflammation are involved with your case of foot drop, it may be worth a try.
Along with homeopathic remedies, patients can try adopting holistic lifestyle changes such as nutritional adaptations, appropriate exercise, and wearing footwear for foot drop. Let’s explore these in more depth so you can begin making these adjustments.
Simply giving your body what it needs in the form of nutrition can make a difference when you are trying to recover from foot drop.
Add more B vitamins to your diet. Also increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and antioxidants. Learn more about how to eat a suitable diet for neuropathy.
A large part of what is required to recover from foot drop is to do exercises to re-train your gait.
It can be daunting to begin an exercise program with foot drop, because early in the process, you still will have trouble lifting your feet and walking naturally. Nevertheless, practicing can help you restore function, mobility and comfort.
Make sure that you ease gently into a new exercise program, and that you pick exercises that you can perform safely. You need to be able to maintain your balance.
What can help is to start wearing shoes that help stabilize your feet and assist you in walking across uneven ground. For that, you need adaptive footwear, which we will now discuss in detail.
What is adaptive footwear? This is a unique type of shoe that features variable friction technology. As you walk, this technology lets you “glide” across uneven surfaces and clear obstacles with greater ease.
Wearing this type of shoe, you are able to maintain a smoother, more natural gait when you walk with foot drop. You also are less likely to stumble, trip or fall.
An example of adaptive footwear is the Cadense Original Adaptive Shoe for men and women.
Along with the patented variable friction technology, these shoes include the following features that also make them an excellent choice for wearers with foot drop:
- A wide, stable base so that you can take each step with greater confidence.
- Sufficient depth for an insert if you want extra cushioning and comfort.
- Ample cushioning to provide comfort on their own even without an insert.
- Support to help keep the ankle stable and aligned.
- Lightweight, breathable materials that prevent fatigue or a build-up of sweat or heat while walking.
- An easy-on, easy-off design. The shoes open and close with Velcro, and it only takes one hand to close or open the Velcro strap.
- A wide toe box to support a variety of foot shapes.
- Compatibility for ankle-foot orthosis (AFO).
- A stylish, attractive design you will love.
Even after recovering from foot drop, many patients continue to wear Cadense Adaptive Shoes, appreciating their blend of comfort, support and style. To find the ideal shoes for your style and needs, see the full collection of Cadense Adaptive Shoes.
With your adaptive footwear, you should find it easier to start following an exercise program for foot drop in conjunction with your homeopathic treatments, dietary changes, and any other treatments you are using.
Not only will it be easier and more enjoyable to exercise when you are wearing adaptive shoes, but you also will be able to do it more safely with less risk of injury.