Re: good shoe for drop foot?

February 4, 2011

My neurologist suggested high top sneakers or boots for mild foot drop.

New England, 40s,

CMT 1? (Neg to all DNA tests available)

>

> Has anyone found a good shoe that helps you walk without tripping and falling

because of drop foot?

>

February 4, 2011

My mother wears Dictus bands. These wrap around her ankle have a band that

attaches to any tie shoe. This helps her a lot, but she also wears her Ritchie

braces when she has lots of walking to do.

Here is the website about them and they are available from Amazon.

http://dictusband.com/

Faith/Mom, 86, Florida

February 4, 2011

Maybe a hightop bball shoe might help or some other kind of laceup boot. But you

really need some kind of afo for help with drop foot. I really like the noodles

I got from Wade Bader in Tampa. There is a youtube video on them. In it there is

a guy in his late teens who had bad footdrop due to a wakeboard injury. He says

he has tried all kinds of afos and didn't like them for some reason or another

but he loves the noodles. You even see him run in one of the videos. He is

really sold on his. He said he is wearing shorts again cause the noodles don't

look bad. I really like mine too. If you can't get to Tampa Wade would work with

your local orthotist on a wholesale basis. Check this out. I bet it would help

you.

>

> Has anyone found a good shoe that helps you walk without tripping and falling

because of drop foot?

>

February 4, 2011

,

I've been wearing high top Rebocks, hikers, and GI desert boots.Finally found a

couple of pairs of 's slip on boots that work well and can function as

dress shoes. High tops really make a big difference. Stay away from chukas they

are not high enough and your foot will drop. Also do buy any thing with soles

that have a hard sharp bottom edge at the toe. The shoe will catch rises in rug

pile and sidewalk cracks where as a rounded edge with tend to slide up over

obstructions. Either that or take a rasp and round the edges off the soles.

I've been wearing high tops for 10 years now and probably should look into

orthotics but I rarely fall or stumble when wearing shoes.

Ed

February 5, 2011

A Muller brace will work with almost any shoe for foot drop.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

February 5, 2011

I was told many of the same things about high tops and boots. I wear AFOs for

just about every step I take now, but I have to say they do not fit in my winter

boots, which I only where when I have to go out and shovel/use the snow blower

(which we have had to do A LOT this year!) and with the boots, I can be out

there for the duration with little or no discomfort. But these are kind of

tight, and really think so there is not a lot of flex to them. That is probably

the only reason they work for me now.

If you are having foot drop, you should really think about AFOs. You owe it to

yourself to keep yourself safe and healthy. I suffered a traumatic ankle injury

from not having one, required surgery and months of physical therapy. I gave in

finally, but only for the left (injured) leg for many years. Then my right foot

started to drop, I had another bad fall and thought I broke my wrist that time,

and on my next visit to the neurologist, took a script for two new AFOs that

time.

When it comes to AFOs, I caution on who to go to. If you are really stuck on

your prodiatrist, only have him fit you if he is really knowledgeable on CMT (or

at least general peripheral neuropathy). If not, I do suggest going straight to

a certified orthotist/prostheticist. I was SO lucky to walk into my closest

Hanger office and be treated by a CPO that had strong personal interest and

knowledge of CMT because his best friends (brothers) have it and he has studied

it, practiced it, and participated in the local MDA clinic.

I wish you well!

Mark, 40++, NJ, Generations of my family have CMT! Imagine - A World Without

CMT!

February 5, 2011

Mark:

Just wanted you to know I have had good luck w/ Hanger also for both my AFOs.

Also, I wear them daily and really require them when I go outside. I found a

SLIP OVER BOOT that just goes over your shoes (w/ AFOs on) very easily. They

are insulated and waterproof and have cleats on the bottom. They work great in

the snow. They open up wide on top so easy access with shoes and AFOs on. I

could never " make the turn " with my braces into my Sorel boots so the over shoe

concept works great. If you (or anyone else) is interested let me know and I

wsill get you the brand name, etc. I found then on line.

58 yrs. old

CMT-1A

Oregon

February 5, 2011

I had AFOs when I was 13-14 years old, and I hated them: they were painful

and I felt self-conscious when changing for gym class. I abandoned them in

favor of Reebok high-tops (remember the Pump shoes?). From then on, I

wore hightop shoes and boots laced very tightly. At age 20 I started

walking with a walking stick, too.

Last year I heard about Helios AFOs on another CMT list, and was so struck

by the testimonials on their website that I ended up flying to Las Vegas for

a week to have a pair made. (Total cost of braces was $12,000; my insurance

company eventually paid $10,000 of that.) I'm extremely happy with the

braces, and my only regret is that it took me so long to find out that AFO

technology has come a long way in 20 years

Here's my " before " video, showing what it looked like when I walked

barefoot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwuvfF1WCJ4

Here's my first time out wearing my new Helios braces:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7UK4XMOj74

Here's the vendor's website:

http://ordesignslv.com/

I haven't tried any other modern AFOs, but I suspect that less-expensive

off-the-shelf carbon fiber AFOs are great when properly fitted and padded by

a good orthotist.

Benjy

On Sat, Feb 5, 2011 at 8:21 AM, meandcmt <mrwillis@...> wrote:

> If you are having foot drop, you should really think about AFOs. You owe it