Did they offer braces or were you already wearing them before the back operation. they gave me the cheep off the shelf kind the first time and they worked great. then I had some custom made and they spend more time in the closet. It is also better to wear a high top boot even with the braces. I am 50 yrs old and found out that I had after I had already retired from the USAF.
Well I hope that this has helped in some way and if there is anything that I can help you with concerning this please feel free to ask me ok bnndaniel@yahoo.com
I

i have a very mild case of drop foot in my left foot. if you see a podiatrist, there are braces that you can get that will help.

Thank you for your replies and yes they did give me some of the braces one that was made for me and one off the shelf.. And then I took your advice daniel and went out and bought a $30. pair of boots and I seem to be able to walk and get around better with them and my cane, walker, or wheelchair which ever I need for that day. I don't think im ever goin to get use to this im always forgetting and falling right on my face.. How do you remember every sec when things are happening around you.. Anyways thanks for the advice and the support it has been a big help...
Just dont get it though pain 24/7 never out of it and theres no foot ever not even alittle how do ya do it.. without goin insane...

Well I am glad to hear that I could give you some helpful advise to get you around a little better. As for the pain I use a foot bath massager you can get them for under $50.00 and add absense salt and soak them from time to time as needed. plus I added cousin soles in my boots to keep my feet off the hard plastic from the braces. anything other than that it just takes endurance and willpower to get up and go at least that is the way it is for me. I have never tried to let anything get me down for too long of a period. I hope that this will help you too. have a great day

I was put in AFO braces (the kind made specifically for you from a mold of your foot and calf) when I was 13. I do remember it being a little dis-orienting and it did take a little while to re-learn how to walk.

After 12 years, I can say I have not broken an ankle (knock on wood) and have only minor pain due to impact sores/calluses from the braces.

I can sympathize with the feeling of having to constantly think about foot placement, etc. However, for me, that is mostly when I am without my braces or am on an incline.

Stick with it, I'm sure you'll get used to walking with the assistance of your new braces with a little time. Just think how long it takes a child to learn to walk, if you're already comfortable with your braces and a cane, you're ahead of the curve!!

My son has foot drop related to MS. Now, he wears a custom 'flexible' (ankle) AFO, which before was a 'fixed' ankle AFO. His PT said it was the wrong type. He is now able to almost run and drive while wearing the AFO. There is a neuro-stimulator (worn below knee) a brand name walk aide (sp?) which may help a person walk nearly normal. He tried it; however Medicare/Medicaid does not yet pay for this device. Hope this info helps.

Hi everyone sorry that I havent been intouch but have been so depressed with everything... Have been through so many different tests Im not sure what way is up down or sideways anymore.... I didnt know there was that many different tests out there to be honest and im sure theres more still... shhhhh dont want no more omg... Well of course even with all the tests they have done cause I went into the operating room with full motion and movement and came out in recovery with drop foot they of course wont say if it was the nerve nicked or the siatic stretched.. But something happened in there.. Anyways monday there goin to talk to me about a back stimulator.. Will keep you all informed as to what goes on with that... Thanks for all your support and help sorry depression had got to me...

Im so sorry for not keeping up on here. Have went through a lot of testing and of course nothing seems to be the right thing for me. One because I smoke lol so they claim it slows the healing down which I can understand but im not a drinker and don't do drugs except for what is prescribed to me. Sometimes I feel like im going to lose my mind because of all of this Im standing one minute and laying on the ground the next minute then I find out oh gee you still have some bulging discs or ruptured discs which ever you want to call them and there all in the same spots. Well that just tells me that no surgery is going to fix the problem and that the sciatic nerve is just always going to be pinched off. You would think after the 2 surgery's that something would of been different instead there's more damage and they wonder why im depressed. I keep telling them cause my life has changed so dramatically and im always in pain will they ever believe me or understand..

Darling you have really been through it! But Grandma is here just for you! First STOP SMOKING YESTERDAY! or else I will be forced to find
out where you live and spank you!

Get the best nutrition you possibly can. No more white sugar...which
I sense yu have a weakness for and absolutely NO CHOCOLATE
FOR YOU DARLING! Ever notice how constipated you are afterwards?

You need to get some Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (no substitutes)make
yourself a tonic of this ACV from the recipe is one the side of the bottle.
Drink this tonic 3 times a day before meals.

Next roll a couple of towels to support the curve of your neck
and the curve of the small of your back. Neck 3 1/2", back 4 -5'.
Place these under these areas to relieve pain. The head should
rest flush to the floor and the sciatic pain if still unrelieved should
be assisted by firm wedge under knees pushed back under thighs.

If you can't do the floor. have a friend put a board under your
sheet in the bed. this needs to be only down the center so you
don't hurt your knees getting in and out of bed. Also bring it down
from the top of the bed so that the support goes up ONLY to the top
of the spinal notch...but not up under the seven cervival neck
vertebrae. Voila! This will be something will give your poor
spine complete support and encourage your body to heal.
However, it will take time 5 mins. then ten minutes. Whatever
you do DO NOT PROP UP the head to watch t.v.or read. Stay
flat and get the t.v. raised or get those crazy glasses Jack Nickolson
wore in The Bucket List.
Next,( trust me on this) after waking and at least five times during the day
you need to safely and gently streach those back muscles.
1. Stand w. feet shoulder width apart
2. Raise arms up (w/elbows pointing up and out, the tips of your fingers
touching together until they raise up to just under your nose.) (this will
streach this will lengthen your spine)
3. Breathing deeply. Turn your head slowly to left and keeping those
elbows up high and straight slowly turn to look over your left elbow...
while turning your upheld arms back behind you as far as you can.
An ideal turn would have rotated looking over the point of your left
elbow your head swivelled gently around as far as you gently can
go. breath . repeat on the other side. repeat 25 times. or as many
as you can. Do several times a day. Trust me it really works.

I broke my back last June I am 61 w/CMT
and I am up walking around now. And this old lady can not only drive again..I can even use the
rearview mirror!

You hang tough! And get that back towel behind you when your
on the computer. And remember get up from the computer
every half hour. You are like me I think...and enjoy connecting
online. Do take frequent breaks. Also ice packs on for twenty
mintues (wrapped in towel) THEN OFF.

Please let me know if this help you darling!

Your Grandma, Diane









Tonic (recipe on the Bottle) w/ Stevia which will be your new sweetner
Take this tonic three times daily before meals. Eat lightly. at meal
times..but have two healthy snacks in-between.

hello lelra, yes there is things that help with dropfoot, I have dropffot also and I recently tried AFO's and it is so wierd how they work so well. I went with a brand called Ossur afo light. these are available at braceshop.com but I had to have a prescription from my doc. These are really amazing and make you walk better without slapping that foot down, and cosmetically they are not that noticeable, one thin black strip runs up the calf only and they velcro at top. hope this helps. prayers

thank you christshop, for the web site, I order one today....

ruthiebee

It has been about three years since I started using the XFT-2001 foot drop device. The first thing I mention to medical professionals is that I take more steps correctly than I do incorrectly. I re-read what I had previously written and basically the improvements are the same. I have no hip and knee pain with continued use of the XFT-2001 foot drop device (there have been a few times where I couldnt use the XFT-2001 on a daily basis and I almost immediately started to feel pain in my hips and knees. Back pain has been reduced significantly but if I over-do it, I will have pain. Stiffness has been reduced. My gait is better than pre-XFT foot drop device and stability is better but still poor. I believe it continues to boost my energy level but I just dont notice it it has become part of my being. And most important, greatly reduced drop foot. I still use a cane and look for every sturdy object to get from here to there when not using a cane or cart.

Have you thought of alternative treatment to help with your drop foot? I know someone who had a stem cell treatment in Cancun for her CMT and the results were great she said the staff were very professional and happy with the results. The clinics name is World Stem Cells, LLC. They even let you talk with the patients that have had treatments there and their results. I hope this helps and Good Luck

Hiya, well first let me say I am happy to meet someone with something IDENTICAL to myself. In 1995 I had a back surgery, I was not only left with drop foot but I was completely paralyzed in my left leg for about 6 months. Nothing has been the same since. I have little to no feeling, but yet still feel the pain and everything else around it. It was only the lower portion of my leg affected. The pain was immense but it turned out to be episodic. I have bad drop foot now 20 years later.

When I was little I remember wearing braces, but have no idea what for. Everyone is gone now so I have no one to ask questions to. I suffered with bouts of pain on and off for most of my life.

Today I use a cane when I have to walk any distances. I went to a neurologist for the first time last week. I went because I had so much pain in my lower arms and hands. There was no reason for this pain to me. Before the neurologist I was told, "you have shingles", "you have periphreal neuropathy", but I knew there was something else. I walked into the neurologist office and first thing he said was CMT. Now it all makes sense and I know what to work on. Unfortunatley I do also have Periphreal Neuropathy and what I was told the neuropathy will amplifiy the pain.

I have been so depressed and in so much pain..I had contiplated suicide, but my family is starting to understand and is being more helpful with me that was ruled out.

Please if you ever need to talk, email me. tezsgirl@gmail.com

I would love to talk with other people with CMT

I think it is good if you could consult a podiatrist rather than suffering from these kinds of pain. As I too have met the same situation after my surgery and it was indeed a painful one.http://poweredwebsite.com/