title: Painless foot drop: an atypical etiology of a common presentation.
abstract: Weakness of the dorsiflexor muscles of the foot is a relatively common presentation. In most cases, the etiology involves a peripheral injury to the common peroneal nerve. These patients usually present with lower motor neuron findings on evaluation. In contrast, if upper motor neuron findings were present a central lesion should be suspected and appropriate imaging studies are performed. We describe a patient with painless foot drop and lower motor findings on examination that was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This case demonstrates that multiple sclerosis can masquerade as a peripheral process in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Penn Spine Research Group, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Russel V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: Sarjoo M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bhagia
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lenrow
authors.forename: Larry H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Curtis W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Slipman