Foot drop

The Stimpod is an excellent modality foot drop and disc herniation. There are 2 areas to treat resultant from the acute disc herniation at L2-L3.

 

Initially treat alongside the facet joint from L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1 bilaterally for 5 mins at each level.

 

It is often difficult to activate those nerves (that are situated below large musculature in the back) at the facet joints and if this proves sluggish persevere as with time this may eventually respond.

 

The patient may indicate that referral from the above stimulation extends into the legs.

 

Then proceed to the sciatic nerve in the gluteus (L4-5, L5-S1), femoral nerve (groin) and particularly the peroneal nerve (lateral upper calf), bilaterally.

 

The tibial nerve can also be activated in tibialis anterior (mid anterior calf) if necessary to improve foot drop. The tibial nerve in the medial calf and the pudendal nerve may also require stimulation if there is incontinence

 

You can treat the above mentioned treatment areas for 5 minutes each.

 

Time is always a factor in treatment and one tends to treat the worst or most affected areas initially. Treating the periphery always impacts on the DRG at 

the spinal level.

 

If it is decided to treat less areas then treat for 10mins on each specific nerve.

 

Initially I would treat 3 times weekly over 3 to 4 weeks. Less treatments per week may be required once improvement is observed.

 

Assessing the condition will provide the best treatment effects – if weakness exists more profoundly in specific nerve regions then that should be the initial target. This will not only provide relief and improvement but will give encouragement to the patient and a determination to continue.