Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Disease

Charcot- Marie-Tooth disease is a neuropathic disease that affects approximately 1 in 2,500 adults. Charcot-Marie-Tooth is a hereditary disorder that involves progressive loss of touch sensation and muscular tissue across the body. Charcot-Marie-Tooth causes foot drop and issues such as hammertoe and misshapen hips. Treatment for Charcot-Marie-Tooth centres on doing all that can be done to help retain strength and mobility as the disease progresses.

How can Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease be managed?

• Maintaining strength, movement and flexibility is critical to managing CMT.
• Physiotherapy and keeping active are usually recommended as a way of managing CMT.
• Retaining stability as the foot drops necessitates the use of orthoses to keep the gait efficient and functioning.
• Good shoes and insoles are a prerequisite for maintaining an active lifestyle while suffering with CMT.

How can orthotic insoles help with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease?

Foot drop is one of the most common problems of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. This can lead to feet that are severely supinated, or in some cases overpronation. This will have a significant impact on gait and one’s ability to remain active. As well as this, feet that remain untreated can develop metatarsalgia, hammertoes, corns and plantar fasciitis.

Dr Insole’s custom-made orthotic insoles can help if you suffer from Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease because:

• They correct gait abnormalities, caused by supination or overpronation, helping you to keep active and manage the disease more effectively.
• By correcting your gait, they reduce the chance of injury. This is crucial in maintaining your strength and mobility.
• Dr Insole’s custom orthotics give your feet additional support and cushioning, and have excellent shock-absorbing qualities, helping to stave off corns and other pressure sores.