# I can't raise my left foot at the ankle joint. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 6, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289 "2016-01-06T03:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/1 "2016-01-06T03:37:01Z")
This started about 3 or 4 days ago. I’m sending brain messages to my left foot, but it won’t raise at the ankle. It moves down a wee bit, but it won’t raise up. I’m guessing my right foot can raise by maybe 20 degrees, but the left one wont respond to my brain. I’ve never experienced anything like this and for God’s sake I hope it’s not the onset of muscular dystrophy or anything. I can move the foot down, again maybe by 20 degrees, but cannot lift it up and I’m walking like a mummy right now. What gives? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/2 "2016-01-06T03:43:16Z")
See if this matches. [Common peroneal nerve dysfunction](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000791.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/3 "2016-01-06T03:54:20Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > See if this matches. > [Common peroneal nerve dysfunction](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000791.htm) I’m absolutely convinced this is what it is. Especially the cause of “Crossing the legs regularly” which was a given snoozing on the love seat with my legs on the arm rest (always right leg over left leg) during the Christmas holidays. Wow. Thanks Pat. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/4 "2016-01-06T04:07:48Z")
Glad to help. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/5 "2016-01-06T04:22:01Z")
When you are walking does the front of your foot rise normally when you swing your leg forward? Normally you take a step and your weight is on one leg and foot while your other leg swings forward and your toes and front of the foot rises to take a natural step. Do you still walk like that or does the front of your foot not rise? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/6 "2016-01-06T14:39:37Z")
You may have Foot Drop. > **[Foot drop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_drop)** > > Foot drop is a gait abnormality in which the dropping of the forefoot happens due to weakness, irritation or damage to the deep fibular nerve (deep peroneal), including the sciatic nerve, or paralysis of the muscles in the anterior portion of the lower leg. It is usually a symptom of a greater problem, not a disease in itself. Foot drop is characterized by inability or impaired ability to raise the toes or raise the foot from the ankle (dorsiflexion). Foot drop may be temporary or permanent, depe... ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/7 "2016-01-06T14:44:31Z")
This not going to help your dating exploits, you know this, right? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/8 "2016-01-06T14:53:35Z")
My dad had the same (or very similar) issue. He could not raise his right foot, which really hurt his mobility. He had a lot of neuropathy issues, which I don’t think were ever completely sorted out. They just kept getting worse. Anyway, his doctors gave him some exercises that were supposed to help him recover movement in his feet, but he was not very good about doing them regularly, and his condition did not improve. The moral of the story is: get to your doctor soon, and if they tell you to do physical therapy, do it. Don’t wait for it to go away on its own, because it probably won’t. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/9 "2016-01-06T15:57:05Z")
I broke my lower leg but the worst part was the soft tissue damage. I ended up with a bad case of “floppy-foot”. It took 6+ months of physical therapy and at least another year before I was nearly normal. My foot still has a hard time “pointing” and lifting completely. But, at least I can pick my foot up to walk normally. It’s hard to walk when you can’t rotate your foot up which is required with each step. You end up having to lift your foot with your knee. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/10 "2016-01-06T20:01:32Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > You may have Foot Drop. > > [Foot drop - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_drop) That’s what I was thinking of. It can have many causes, some treatable and sometimes it is an early indicator of a more serious issue. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/11 "2016-01-06T20:17:48Z")
If this had just been happening for an afternoon or a day it’s one thing but I would get pretty nervous after 3 or 4. Hope you’ve got yourself to a doctor by now. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/12 "2016-01-06T20:26:10Z")
I believe it’s exactly what running coach mentioned in post 2: Common peroneal nerve dysfunction. The slapping gait is exactly how I’m walking and I did spend a lot of time over the holidays with crossed legs. I’m not panicking yet. I’ll give it a few more days. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/13 "2016-01-06T20:41:20Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m not panicking yet. I’ll give it a few more days. See a doctor. if it’s been a few days and no improvement, it’s past time to “wait and see”. Even one of those walk-in critical care places should be able to handle this. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/14 "2016-01-06T20:43:06Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > If this had just been happening for an afternoon or a day it’s one thing but I would get pretty nervous after 3 or 4. Hope you’ve got yourself to a doctor by now. > [@running\_coach](#): > > See a doctor. if it’s been a few days and no improvement, it’s past time to “wait and see”. > Even one of those walk-in critical care places should be able to handle this. Thirded. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/15 "2016-01-06T21:38:33Z")
It’s impossible to get in to see MY doctor. I might go to a walk-in clinic on the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/16 "2016-01-06T21:50:16Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I might go to a **walk-in** clinic on the weekend. That may become more difficult the longer you wait. 🙂 Seriously, I hope it’s nothing. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![jakedog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jakedog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakedog)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/17 "2018-08-05T07:30:11Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > It’s impossible to get in to see MY doctor. I might go to a walk-in clinic on the weekend. Dear OP. Did you manage to sort out your leg condition? I’m facing this now and it’s been 12 hours and I wonder what’s ahead for me. Please share what you did to hopefully resolve your situation. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/18 "2018-08-05T13:32:54Z")
> [@jakedog](#): > > Dear OP. Did you manage to sort out your leg condition? > I’m facing this now and it’s been 12 hours and I wonder what’s ahead for me. > > Please share what you did to hopefully resolve your situation. 😕 Interesting. The motion issue resolved itself before I got in to see my doctor, but my foot started experiencing some numbness, and still does to this day. So, my left foot from the ankle down is numb and tinglley, but otherwise functional. I have no idea why. My doctor thought it might have been a pinched nerve. X-rays on my spine/pelvis region didn’t indicate anything. I’m living with it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/19 "2018-08-05T13:49:58Z")
I don’t know if this is helpful or not, but we had a dog who was hit by a car, and eventually fully recovered, but the very last thing to recover was her right front paw. It was floppy when she walked (she was hit on the right side). When she’d pick that leg up, the paw would flop down, but the leg seemed to hold her up well enough when she stood on all fours. Of course, I have no idea whether she ever experienced any numbness. She never showed any distress that I noticed. She had the floppy paw for about two weeks after the rest of her had fully recovered, and what I mean by that is that for about two days after she was hit, she walked like she had cerebral palsy (and gawd, were we scared that was permanent, even though the vet assured us it wasn’t). That had _totally_ gone away after about four days. The vet said she probably had a crushed nerve-- that is, there was soft tissue swelling around a nerve. Like a pinched nerve, but to the _n_th power. The swelling had to go down before signal could travel over the nerve correctly. Now, the injured area was mainly her side and her shoulder. So the nerve was blocked somewhere higher up than her paw, but her paw ended up being what was affected. So, have you had any injury at all that could possibly affect your foot? Did you bang your hip or shin on something? Did you have to sit in one position for a very long time? to the point that it was painful? Did you strain something exercising? **Leaffan** : is it possible you have tarsal tunnel syndrome? It’s like carpal tunnel syndrome, but in the ankle and foot, instead of the wrist and hand. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289/20 "2018-08-05T15:19:41Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Interesting. The motion issue resolved itself before I got in to see my doctor, but my foot started experiencing some numbness, and still does to this day. > > So, my left foot from the ankle down is numb and tinglley, but otherwise functional. I have no idea why. My doctor thought it might have been a pinched nerve. > > X-rays on my spine/pelvis region didn’t indicate anything. I’m living with it. ☹ If you have nerve damage it could be from circulation issues. I had a blood clot in my leg that ended up damaging nerves in my foot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-raise-my-left-foot-at-the-ankle-joint/742289.md?page=2)