Cerebral Palsy Information | New Device Helps with Foot Drop

New Device Helps with Foot Drop

Foot drop is a condition that many people with cerebral palsy deal with. It happens when they try to walk. They're feet turn inward or become otherwise out of line and they have a difficult time realigning them so that they can get wherever they're on their way to. You'll see this type of walk in many different types of cerebral palsy. Most of the time, the treatment of cerebral palsy, in this regard, just means treating the symptoms by providing the sufferer with braces. A new advance, however, means that some people who have conditions such as ataxic cerebral palsy, notable for the problems it causes with walking, as well as other forms of the disorder may have an easier time of it getting around.

Addressing the Problem

According to a story in Patch.com, a new technology that involves a device about the same size as a cellular phone can help people with this condition. A librarian in Milford, CT is profiled in the article and, by using the device, she's able to enjoy improved mobility.

The device is called WalkAide and it works by directly stimulating the nerve, called the peroneal nerve, and providing better control over the foot and legs. It also comes with an advantage that people who do not need braces may never consider: there is no special footwear required. The device straps to the lower leg, so the sufferer can wear any footwear they want, which is really quite a liberating thing for people who have been restricted to whatever footwear would work with braces.

This device is only one of many different therapies that are being developed to help people with CP, but it addresses one of the fundamental problems that this disorder causes: mobility impairment. With a better ability to walk, someone with CP can get around faster, more efficiently and enjoy more independence. This is a huge psychological benefit for many sufferers of this birth injury.

Some people with CP will have to use wheelchairs for their entire life, but not everyone will. For those who only need braces to help them stabilize themselves, WalkAide is one of a number of new therapies that are being developed and refined to help sufferers. CP may last for one's entire life, but the symptoms, in some cases, can be reduced with modern technology and the creative application of it by medical professionals who work on helping people with this condition.