Biomechanics and Motion Analysis

Mechanical Efficacy of Tendon Transfer Operation for Foot Drop

Principal Investigator: Harold B. Kitaoka, M.D.
Project Coordinator: Lawrence Berglund — berglund.lawrence@mayo.edu

Peroneal nerve injury and paralysis may occur due to injury, infection and a variety of other factors and can affect gait in a condition often referred to foot drop. If the condition is permanent, transferring the posterior tibial tendon through the interosseus membrane (IOM) is a popular method used to repair foot drop, but it may not be adequate to obviate continued bracing. The Bridle procedure (BRI) has promising results (Rodriguez 1992), however it has a higher potential for complications because it involves 5-7 incisions. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of these two operations in cadaveric lower extremities using a dynamic gait simulator.

Significant differences were found between the normal and drop foot condition in late swing (38.0˚± 9.4˚), eversion (-13.9˚±12.7˚) and external rotation (-16.2˚±13.8˚). There were no significant differences between the normal foot and the IOM or BRI procedures, or between the IOM and BRI procedures in dorsiflexion, eversion and external rotation. Foot drop operations markedly improved foot dorsiflexion, eversion, and external rotation in late swing phase. We were unable to detect any differences between the BRI and IOM operations in terms of immediate mechanical effects.