fee l s
good
4
body else. I could see so
when looking at my footprints
in the sand. I also had poor
balance. But because I was
active, I didn’t associate my
issues with Charcot-Marie-
Tooth – especially because of
my siblings.”
A bad fall in front of a cement
truck eventually drove Judy to
seek an official diagnosis from
a neurologist.
Says Danielle Molnar, C. Ped (C)
BioPed Waterloo, who first
met Judy in late 2011, “Judy
had actually been a BioPed
client for years. She had an
orthotic, but the CMT had pro-
gressed. Her foot was rolling
to the outside. She was also
These Shoes Were Made
For Walking
Orthotics Provide Peace Of Mind
One
of the most
common inherited neurologi-
cal disorders, CMT is thought
to affect nearly 1 in 2500
or an estimated 2.7 million
people worldwide. It is a
peripheral nerve disorder –
one that results in problems
with movement and sensa-
tion. The earliest symptoms
involve muscle weakness in
the feet that can cause foot
abnormalities like high arches
and curled (hammer) toes. It
may also become difficult to
flex the foot or to walk on the
heel of the foot, increasing
the chance of tripping.
Symptoms of the disease
can vary in severity, even
among members of the same
family. Take Judy Whalen, for
example, who inherited the
condition from her maternal
grandfather. She was able to
keep her CMT at bay until she
was nearly 50. Yet her older
brother and sister had such
complex issues, they could
never participate in sports
when they were growing up.
Says Judy, “I knew my feet
were different from every-
Falling is a normal
part of childhood
development. In fact,
most kids stumble,
trip and bump their
way across the
playground for years –
slowly and steadily
improving their bal-
ance and coordination
over time. But for
those with Charcot-
Marie-Tooth disease
(
CMT), that improve-
ment may never be
fully realized.
experiencing a burning sensa-
tion in the ball of her foot.”
After a thorough foot assess-
ment, Danielle reconstructed
the original orthotic. She also
built up the side of Judy’s Finn
Comfort walking shoe to give
her added stability.
“
CMT takes a physical toll,”
Danielle continues, “but it
also takes an emotional one.
Judy was afraid of falling, so
she was limiting herself to
avoid injury. Pairing the right
shoe with the right orthotic
will help keep her safe, thus
giving her peace mind.”
A very satisfied Judy
Whalen concurs.
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