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Foot Drop vs. Foot Slap: Everything You Need to Know

Posted by:

Johannes Sauer

Reviewed by:

Emilee Fechter

Updated at: October 23, 2024

Table of Contents

  1. What are Gait Abnormalities?

  2. Impact of Foot Drop vs Foot Slap

  3. Common Causes of Foot Drop vs Foot Slap

  4. Clinical Differences

    1. Diagnoses

    2. Treatments

  5. Knowing the Key Differences Between Foot Drop and Foot Slap

Two terms that are sometimes used interchangeably are “foot drop” and “foot slap.” But these terms are not identical. Let’s examine where the differentiation lies.

What are Gait Abnormalities?

Foot drop, foot slap (also called “slap gait”) and steppage gait are all terms that involve gait abnormalities. A gait abnormality is simply any deviation from a normal, healthy gait. Now, let’s define each of these terms.

  • Foot drop: This is a condition wherein a patient cannot fully lift the front part of the foot when walking. It can affect one or both feet.
  • Slap gait: This refers to a gait abnormality in which the foot “slaps down” on the ground, rather than landing with the heel first.
  • Steppage gait: This is a gait abnormality where a patient lifts the feet unusually high to avoid tripping when walking.

Impact of Foot Drop vs Foot Slap

Foot drop makes it easy to trip and fall, since you cannot fully raise the front part of your foot. This in turn produces foot slap and steppage gait. These gait abnormalities can make walking uncomfortable.

Common Causes of Foot Drop vs Foot Slap

Again, foot slap is directly caused by foot drop, just as steppage gait is. As for foot drop, causes include:

Those are some of the most common causes. Keep in mind there are others as well.


Clinical Differences

Now let’s discuss what you need to know about diagnosing and treating foot drop vs. foot slap.

Diagnoses

During your exam, your provider will ask you to walk so they can observe your gait. This is usually enough to diagnose foot drop and foot slap. They also can check if you are experiencing numbness and/or weakness in your muscles. Imaging and nerve tests may be used sometimes as well.

Oct 23, 2024

Treatments

Foot drop and foot slap can be treated simultaneously using the same techniques, since foot slap is one of the hallmarks of foot drop.

For healing foot drop, your doctor may recommend using orthotics and doing physical therapy. You will be encouraged to retrain your gait by walking. Nerve stimulation and surgery may also sometimes be needed. If you have an underlying condition (i.e. MS or Parkinson’s), you will need to treat that condition as well.

Treatments for managing foot slap are similar. Your physical therapist will teach you specific strengthening exercises. Wearing a splint can also keep your foot from slapping down in front.

Knowing the Key Differences Between Foot Drop and Foot Slap

Now you know the difference between foot drop and foot slap. Foot drop is a condition that makes it hard to raise the fronts of your feet. Your feet slapping down as you walk is a resulting gait abnormality.

If you have developed an abnormal gait, your doctor may recommend that you try wearing shoes for foot drop. Cadense shoes for foot drop are designed with patented variable friction technology that helps you “glide” over uneven ground when you cannot fully lift your feet and they tend to slap down. 

By doing so, they support a healthier, more natural gait, and reduce your chances of tripping and falling with foot drop or foot slap.

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FAQ

What should I do if I experience symptoms of foot drop or foot slap?

If you are experiencing the symptoms of foot drop or foot slap, you should contact your doctor for an appointment. They can conduct foot drop tests, and help you develop a treatment plan.

Note that it is sometimes possible to prevent foot drop as well, depending on the circumstances.

How can I prevent falls if I have foot drop or foot slap?

Re-training your gait and making use of orthotics and therapeutic footwear can help you to reduce the chances of falls with foot drop or foot slap.

Can foot slap be treated?

Yes, there are treatment options for foot slap and foot drop, many of which are natural and can be performed at home. Scroll up to the section in this post on treatments to learn more.

Posted by: Johannes Sauer

Johannes is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cadense and passionate about helping people with walking difficulties. Johannes is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cadense and passionate about helping people with walking difficulties. He was immediately drawn to the mission of the company because his cousin lost his lower leg in a tragic motorcycle accident a few years ago and is experiencing walking difficulties ever since. Johannes brings over a decade of experience in working for consumer product companies to Cadense. He holds an MBA from the University of Graz in Austria. Johannes lives with his family in Santa Barbara, CA.

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Reviewed by: Emilee Fechter

Emilee, originally from Augusta, Georgia, earned her Master's degree from Georgia College in May 2018. Emilee, originally from Augusta, Georgia, earned her Master's degree from Georgia College in May 2018. During her time at Augusta University, she researched the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cell lines, while her graduate thesis focused on the re-localization of cellular proteins during adenovirus infection. Emilee has been recognized for her research by the American Physiological Society and the Georgia College Department of Biological Sciences. With a strong passion for virology and immunology, her work has been published in theGeorgia Journal of ScienceandMolecular Carcinogenesis.

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