What insurance plans do you accept?

We are in-network with many major insurance providers, including Amerihealth, Cigna Healthcare, Aetna, United Healthcare, Oxford plans, UMR, and Medicare. Please contact our office to confirm participation with your specific plan.

Do you accept Medicare?

Yes, we accept Medicare for patients in New Jersey and New York with the Red, White and Blue card through Novitas and National Government Services.

What should I bring to my first appointment?

Please bring your insurance card, photo ID, any imaging such as MRIs, CT scans, or X-rays, and results from previous medical tests.

What additional information is needed for motor vehicle accident cases?

For motor vehicle accident visits, please bring your claim number, date of accident, insurance claim address, and the claim representative's contact information.

What should I bring for a workers’ compensation case?

You will need a letter of authorization for treatment, the date of the accident, claim number, insurance claim address, and your nurse case manager's contact information.

What happens during my first visit?

During your initial visit, our team will review your medical history and symptoms, perform a focused neurological exam, and discuss treatment options.

What information is most important to share with my doctor?

It is important to share details about your symptoms such as pain, weakness, or numbness, and how they affect your daily activities.

What should I do in case of an emergency after office hours?

If you have an emergency after hours, go to the nearest hospital emergency room where the physician will coordinate with your doctor or the on-call provider.

How are treatment decisions made?

Patients are presented with treatment options along with risks and benefits, and make the final decision based on their health needs and goals.

Which hospitals are you affiliated with?

We are affiliated with Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital, Holy Name Medical Center, Pascack Valley Medical Center, and Hackensack University Medical Center.

Doctor in a white coat examining the lower back of a seated female patient in a bright clinic room.

02 Oct Foot Drop After a Back Injury: Is It a Spine Problem?

Posted at 14:53h in Blog by masteranalytics9@gmail.com

Foot drop can develop when a nerve in the lower back becomes compressed or injured.
Lumbar disc herniation and spinal stenosis are two spinal conditions that may cause weakness when lifting the front of the foot.
New or worsening foot weakness should be evaluated promptly, especially after a back injury.

If you suddenly have trouble lifting the front of your foot after a back injury, it can make walking feel awkward or unstable. Your toes may drag, you may lift your knee higher to clear the ground, or you may notice weakness that was not there before. Metropolitan Neurosurgery Associates evaluates patients throughout New Jersey and New York when symptoms like foot drop may be connected to a lumbar spine problem.

What Does Foot Drop Feel Like?

Foot drop is a symptom rather than a condition by itself. It describes weakness in the muscles responsible for lifting the front of the foot and toes.

You may notice:

Your toes catching or dragging while you walk
Difficulty walking on your heels
Weakness when lifting the foot upward
A slapping sound when the foot hits the ground
Numbness or tingling along the leg or top of the foot

Some patients also experience lower back pain or pain that travels into the buttock or leg, although foot weakness can sometimes be the symptom that gets their attention first.

Can Foot Drop Come From the Lower Back?

Yes. Several foot drop causes can involve compression of the nerves leaving the lumbar spine. One common example is L5 nerve root compression, which may occur with a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, bone spurs, or age-related changes in the lower back.

When a lumbar disc herniates, displaced disc material can press against a nearby nerve root. Spinal stenosis can create a similar problem by narrowing the space available for the nerves.

The result may be pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness extending into the leg and foot.

Can a Sports Injury or Trauma Trigger Foot Drop?

A sports injury, fall, lifting injury, or other trauma can sometimes damage a disc or worsen an existing lumbar spine problem. Symptoms may begin immediately or become more noticeable as inflammation and nerve compression develop.

If foot weakness appears after a back injury, it is important not to assume that rest alone will resolve it. A spine specialist can determine whether the problem is coming from nerve compression in the lower back and how significant that compression may be.

When Should You See a Spine Specialist?

New muscle weakness deserves timely evaluation. Foot drop can indicate that a nerve is not functioning normally, and progressive weakness is one reason spine specialists may consider more urgent treatment. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons lists foot drop among the progressive deficits that may warrant surgical evaluation in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Seek prompt medical evaluation if foot weakness is getting worse or is accompanied by increasing numbness or difficulty walking.

Sudden bowel or bladder dysfunction together with severe back symptoms requires emergency medical attention because it can be associated with serious compression of the nerves in the lower spine.

How Is Spinal Foot Drop Evaluated?

We begin by reviewing how the symptoms started, whether an injury occurred, and how the weakness affects your walking and daily activities. A physical examination can help identify which muscles and nerve pathways are involved.

Imaging of the lumbar spine may then be used to look for a herniated disc, stenosis, or another structural problem affecting the nerve.

Treatment depends on what is causing the weakness, how severe it is, and whether symptoms are stable or progressing. Not every patient requires surgery. When significant nerve compression is present, however, surgery may be considered to relieve pressure on the affected nerve. Recovery varies, and no procedure can guarantee that strength will return completely.

Talk With a Spine Surgeon in New Jersey or New York

If your foot has become weak or difficult to lift after a back injury, getting the cause identified is an important next step.

Metropolitan Neurosurgery provides comprehensive spine evaluation and treatment throughout New Jersey and New York. We help patients understand what is causing their symptoms and review the full range of appropriate treatment options.

Request an appointment to speak with a spine specialist about new or worsening foot weakness.

Photographer: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock