JORR
Journal of Orthopedics Research and Rehabilitation

The Journal of Orthopedics Research and Rehabilitation welcomes scholarly papers in orthopaedic surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation, physiotherapy, neurology and clinic anesthesiology and reanimation.

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Case Report
Unilateral foot drop following bariatric surgery: a case report
Abstract
Neurological complications following bariatric surgery (BS) are uncommon but may cause significant functional impairment if not recognized early. We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who developed sudden-onset right foot drop seven months after BS, following an approximately 30-kg weight loss. Neurological examination demonstrated severe weakness of ankle dorsiflexion and foot eversion without sensory deficits. Electrophysiological studies revealed an acute-to-subacute partial demyelinating lesion of the common peroneal nerve at the fibular head with evidence of secondary axonal regeneration, whereas laboratory and imaging studies excluded metabolic and structural causes. The patient underwent a comprehensive rehabilitation program, including therapeutic exercises, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, gait training, and an ankle-foot orthosis, resulting in marked functional improvement after 15 treatment sessions. This case highlights rapid weight loss as an important risk factor for common peroneal neuropathy after BS and emphasizes the value of early electrophysiological evaluation and multidisciplinary rehabilitation in optimizing functional recovery.

Keywords : Bariatric surgery, foot drop, common peroneal neuropathy, rapid weight loss, rehabilitation

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Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient included in this report. Signed consent forms are retained by the authors and are available upon request.

Author Contributions

Concept: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Design: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Control: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Resources: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Materials: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Data Collection and/or Processing: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Analysis and/or Interpretation: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Literature Review: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Writing the Article: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD; Critical Review: MD, VT, PÖB, AGD.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Financial Disclosure

This case report did not receive any financial support.

Editor Note

Ayşe Gülşen Doğan is a member of the Editorial Board of this journal. She was not involved in the editor assignment, reviewer selection, peer review process, or editorial decision for this manuscript. The peer review process was managed independently by another editor.


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Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 4, 2026
Page : 106-108
https://doi.org/10.51271/JORR-0081
Article Information
Received : 23 Tem 2026
Accepted : 25 Eki 2026
Published : 28 Eki 2026
Corresponding Author :

Ayşe Gülşen Doğan: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Erol Olçok Training and Research Hospital, Hitit University, Çorum, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Demez M, Taşgın V, Başaran PÖ, Doğan AG. Unilateral foot drop following bariatric surgery: a case report. J Orthop Res Rehabil. 2026;4(4):106-108. doi:10.51271/JORR-0081

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