Foot Drop vs. Tibial Flat Foot Deformity

Foot drop is a general term for difficulty lifting the front part of your foot. Tibial flat foot deformity is a specific condition involving the posterior tibial tendon.

Flat Foot

• The common name for tibial flat foot deformity is adult-acquired flatfoot; the medical name is posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. The posterior tibial tendon is essential for supporting the foot's arch. If this tendon becomes inflamed, overstretched, injured or damaged, the result is the debilitating condition adult-acquired flatfoot, which only gets worse if it's not treated early.

Flat Foot Treatment

• According to the University of Washington Medical Center, treatment options for adult-acquired flatfoot may include rest, foot immobilization, physical therapy and over-the-counter pain medications. If the condition gets worse, the next option is total immobilization with a foot brace, with surgery considered the last option.

Foot Drop

• According to the Mayo Clinic, foot drop (also called drop foot) is not a disease but is a sign of an underlying neurological, muscular or anatomical problem. With foot drop you have trouble lifting the front part of your foot, often causing the front of your foot to drag on the ground when you walk.

Foot Drop Treatment

• Treatment for foot drop depends on the underlying cause and may include braces or splints, physical therapy and exercises, nerve stimulation or surgery.

Considerations

• You are more likely to recover completely from either foot drop or posterior tibial tendon dysfunction if you receive early treatment.