“As a result of the body attacking the myelin sheath, plaque and lesions start hitting the nervous system,” says Dr. White. “At this point, people may start feeling pain in their feet, legs and the rest of the body.”
Unlike other conditions that cause pain in the legs and feet, such as neuropathy caused by diabetes, the nerve damage from MS is not only painful, but also makes walking very difficult, leading to gait (your walking pattern) related foot problems.
Seeing as MS also causes vision problems, people with MS may not notice foot problems at the early stages, when they are easiest to treat, which can lead to complications.
Another possible and common effect of MS is foot drop (or drop foot) - an MS symptom caused by weakness in the ankles or a disruption in the leg-to-brain nerve pathway.
Foot drop makes it more difficult to lift the front part of the foot to the angle needed for walking, causing the foot to hang and the toes to drag on the ground and making it very difficult to maintain stability.
Stairs, uneven surfaces and curbs can become a real challenge when you walk with foot drop. Many MS patients lift their legs higher to compensate for the foot drop and avoid dragging their feet on the ground, which can be very tiring.
Further down the line, foot drop could lead to other problems, such as lower back pain and poor balance.
The good news is that quality, light weight and well fitting shoes can support the foot and allow it to be held in a more natural walking position.
In addition, there are some treatments available to people with foot drop, such as physiotherapy that strengthens the foot and ankle muscles, and FES (functional electrical stimulation) that helps position the leg in a more natural walking angle.