Medical Term for Drop Foot
The medical term for drop foot is "foot drop" or "drop foot" itself—this is the accepted clinical terminology used in medical literature and guidelines. 1, 2, 3
Definition and Clinical Description
Foot drop is defined as difficulty with dorsiflexion of the foot and ankle due to weakness of the anterior tibial, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles. 2 This condition results in the inability to lift the front part of the foot, causing it to drag during walking.
Alternative Terminology in Clinical Practice
While "foot drop" or "drop foot" is the standard medical term, the condition may be described differently based on context:
- In stroke rehabilitation guidelines, the World Stroke Organization refers to patients with "foot drop" when discussing the use of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) 1
- In U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs guidelines, the term "foot drop" is used when recommending functional electrical stimulation or traditional ankle-foot orthoses 1
- The term "dropped foot" is occasionally used in neurological literature, particularly in cerebrovascular accident contexts 4
Important Clinical Note
There is no separate Latin or Greek-derived medical term that replaces "foot drop"—the condition is universally referred to by this descriptive English term in modern medical practice. 2, 3, 5 The terminology remains consistent across orthopedic, neurological, and rehabilitation specialties.
Management Terminology
When documenting treatment, guidelines consistently reference: