Charcot Foot Support

Archives for June 2019

Charcot Foot Stages

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Charcot Foot is a serious condition. It can lead to deformity, disability and amputation. The earlier Charcot Foot is diagnosed and treated the better outcomes a patient will experience. When Charcot Foot is diagnosed it is done so in one of three stages, acute, sub-acute and chronic.

Charcot Foot Acute Stage

When in an “acute stage” a patient will likely experience significant swelling, the foot will be warm to the touch and will likely be red. Frequently, misdiagnosis occurs during the acute stage as the symptoms are mistaken for signs of infection. During the acute stage, significant damage can be done to the bone structure of the foot. If x-rays are done during this stage they will likely show fractures and dislocations. 

During the acute stage of Charcot Foot patients are most likely placed in a boot or cast to immobilize the foot. They are also encouraged to remain non-weight bearing until the acute stage has passed.

Charcot Foot Sub-Acute Stage

The second stage, known as the “sub-Acute stage”, is characterized by healing. Patients will begin to see a decrease in swelling, redness will subside and the temperature of the foot will begin to return to normal. During this period the bones can still be damaged so it is important to remain non-weight bearing. 

Charcot Foot Chronic Stage

Stage three is known as the cool phase or the “chronic stage”. During this period the foot should have minimal swelling, no redness and be of normal temperature. X-rays performed during this stage will show consolidation of the bone. During this stage, patients are considered stable. The foot is not worsening in condition but will not improve. It is important to remember each stage can occur more than once and can occur at varying times in either foot.

Always talk with your physician if you have concerns about what Charcot Foot stage you are in. Only a doctor can make an official diagnosis.

The Five Best Knee Scooters for those with Charcot Foot

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When you have Charcot Foot or other foot problems you are likely to experience a period of time when you are non-weight bearing, meaning you can’t put any weight on your foot. This used to mean you were destined to use crutches or a wheelchair during non-weight bearing periods. Not anymore! Now there are a variety of knee scooters on the market to improve mobility while you stay off your feet.

So how do you choose the right knee scooter? There are so many different brands and styles on the market it is hard to know which one to pick. We have made a list of the five best knee scooters for those with Charcot Foot. We have tried and tested an assortment and these get our approval. While researching knee scooters we looked at durability, difficulty level for folding the scooter, price, tires and brakes. These are the five best knee scooters we have found!

KneeRover Steerable Knee Scooter

The KneeRover Steerable Knee Scooter is one of the best knee scooters on the market. It is affordable, easy to put together, sturdy and comes with a basket attachment. This scooter works well going up and down ramps and brakes gently. It is available for purchase in a variety of colors which is a nice option as well. This knee scooter does fold easily and can be stored in the backseat or trunk of a vehicle.

The OasisSpace All Terrain Knee Scooter

The OasisSpace All Terrain Knee Scooter is another favorite for us. The All Terrain Knee Scooter has air filled tires and is a bit sturdier than other scooters on the market. This scooter is great to use in the yard as it maneuvers well on rougher terrain. If you are sick of sticking to sidewalks, this is the scooter for you. If you have young children or grandchildren and are living with Charcot Foot it can be hard to keep up with them. This scooter allows you to easily maneuver around the yard so you can play outside with them. It also comes with a basket attachment, folding handle feature and adjustable seat.

 
 
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KneeRover GO Knee Walker

The KneeRover GO is the smallest, most compact knee walker we could find. It is lightweight and easy to fold and store. It would be the knee scooter to keep at the office, use for quick trips to the mall or airport, or putter around the house. We love the lightweight feel and agree it is easy to get in and out of the car and folds up small enough it can be stored easily.

Draw backs are that it does not come with a basket attachment. A basket can easily be added but will incur an additional expense. The other downside is this scooter doesn’t do well on rougher terrain. However, as long as you stay on smooth services this is a great knee walker!

ELENKER Steerable Knee Walker

The ELENKER Steerable Knee Walker is available at a great price. It’s one of the most affordable knee scooters we could find. In addition to being priced well it is surprisingly comfortable. The adjustable seat has a slight curve to pad the knee which prevented knee pain during extended use. It’s a nice feature we have found on only a few other models. It also comes with a basket attachment and folds.

KneeRover PRO

The Knee Rover PRO is the top of the line knee scooter. You will shell out some serious money buying this knee scooter, at least $300. But there is a reason why, it’s the best of the best. It is an indoor outdoor aluminum scooter with shock absorbers. It can take you easily from smooth sailing on a sidewalk to navigating gravel. The amazing thing is your body won’t tell the difference. It’s sturdy and smooth riding, no matter the terrain. It comes with the attachable basket and folds. The seat is adjustable as well.

Which knee scooter are you using? How has it helped you navigate life with Charcot Foot and foot problems? We want to hear from you. Leave us a message in the comments and share your favorite scooter with us.

What you should know about Peripheral Neuropathy

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Peripheral Neuropathy is weakness, numbness and pain from nerve damage. This is most often experienced in the hands and feet. Peripheral Neuropathy can lead to Charcot Foot. Here are 10 things you should know about Peripheral Neuropathy.

  1. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates more than 20 million people in the United States have some form of Peripheral Neuropathy. The number may be even higher since not all people with symptoms of Neuropathy seek treatment or testing.
  2. Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy include numbness, prickling or tingling in your hands or feet, extreme sensitivity to touch, sharp, jabbing or burning pain in the hands and feet.
  3. Peripheral Neuropathy can be caused by a number of factors including, diabetes, chemo-induced neuropathy, auto-immune disease, alcoholism, hereditary conditions and inflammatory infections.
  4. Symptoms of neuropathy can lessen over time but in most cases they do not. If you are diabetic control your blood sugar. High blood sugar can cause nerve damage.
  5. Medications can at times be used to help control the symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy. Those include the use of pain relievers, some anti-seizure medications, topical treatments and antidepressants.
  6. Good nutrition can help combat the symptoms and progression of Peripheral Neuropathy. Talk with you doctor and nutritionist about developing a healthy eating plan.
  7. Peripheral Neuropathy can cause balance issues as the nerves in your legs are not working properly. Exercise extreme caution when walking to avoid falls or injury.
  8. Between 60 to 70 percent of diabetics have Peripheral Neuropathy. It is incredibly important to keep blood sugar levels in control.
  9. Research has shown exercise can help control symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy. Consult with your doctor on developing an exercise plan to meet your needs.
  10. Diabetic neuropathy cannot be reversed. However, you can manage symptoms and prevent additional damage by keeping blood sugar levels under control.

If you have signs or symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy contact your physician.

Exercising with Charcot Foot

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Exercise + Charcot Foot? I know what you are thinking. This lady is crazy if she thinks I can exercise right now. I’m non-weight bearing, in a boot and can hardly make it to the bathroom. How dare she tell me to get moving. I know you are thinking it because the first time someone told me to exercise while non weight bearing I wanted to punch them. But the truth is they were right. I needed to move my body if I was ever going to feel better. 

Exercise will look different for you since your Charcot Foot diagnosis. You likely won’t be running a marathon and in some cases you won’t even take a lap around the block. Though it won’t be the same type of exercise you may have done before diagnosis, exercise is still possible and needed. 

Exercising while non-weight bearing

During periods when you are non-weight bearing you can exercise from a seated position as long as your physician approves. You can raise your heart rate with cardio exercise without ever standing up. You can also use resistance bands and hand weights to complete strength training exercises. If you have never completed a seated workout and need some ideas for exercises to try we have included links below to some of our favorite workouts we have found on YouTube. Some of the workouts include leg exercises. If the exercise isn’t painful and doesn’t place any weight on the foot we complete it. If it is painful we skip that particular move and go on to the next. Always consult with your doctor before starting an exercise routine.

Weight-bearing exercise

After you have been released by your doctor to bear weight again your exercise options do increase. However, you may encounter some barriers to exercise, even simple walking. If you now have a rocker bottom or are wearing braces, your balance can be impacted. It may be difficult for you to even walk short periods or stand from a chair without feeling like you are going to fall over. It’s important to find a type of exercise you can do safely.

Some individuals with Charcot Foot are able to ride a bicycle and even walk when they are not in the acute stage. If you are able and your doctor agrees, take a walk or a nice bike ride. If you aren’t able to walk or ride a bike, swimming could be a great option for you. Swimming is a wonderful workout and it is also gentle on your body. If you can’t swim, you can complete exercises in the water and even walk. Sign up for a water aerobics class or just go swim laps at your local pool. Here is a post about some of our favorite pool workouts for Charcot Foot.

Exercise equipment for home workouts

Exercise equipment for home workouts doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Here are some of our favorite pieces of equipment which can be ordered online and delivered to your door.

We love the Letsfit resistance loop bands. These bands come in a pack of five and are so easy to use. You can keep them beside your chair and grab them easily throughout the day to do a few exercises.

We are also big fans of the FitSimplify Resistance Loop Bands. This is a great set for when you are weight bearing. It comes with five bands, a carrying bag, door anchor and leg straps. Also included is a workout guide. You will be amazed at how good of a workout you can get using this set!

Hand weights are a must have for us. Our favorite set is Balance from GoFit All-Purpose Dumbbells. It is a 32-pound set with a stand to hold all the weights neatly. It can be tucked in a corner easily. We like the coating on these weights as it provides a good grip without any sliding.

Exercise is so important when you have Charcot Foot. It helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, improves your balance and gives you an emotional boost. As you try different exercises don’t get discouraged if something doesn’t work for you. Remember, you can always try a new form of exercise. You will eventually find an option which works for you. 

Charcot Foot Diagnosis Disaster: Jessie’s Story

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Charcot Foot is considered to be a rare condition but its true prevalence is likely underestimated due to mistaken or delayed diagnosis. It is incredibly rare to meet someone with Charcot Foot who was diagnosed accurately when their symptoms began. It is more likely to hear about the diagnosis disasters. 

Jessie, a 38-year-old, Type II Diabetic from Kansas was diagnosed with Charcot Foot after a lengthy period of misdiagnosis. She has agreed to share her experiences in an effort to help others.

Jessie began showing symptoms of Charcot Foot about one year before being officially diagnosed. She says it all started with a swollen right foot which was warm to the touch. She initially thought she had sprained her ankle, though she didn’t remember doing anything which would have caused injury. After taking it easy for a few days, when the swelling didn’t subside and the heat didn’t lessen she paid a visit to her doctor. The doctor agreed it was likely just a sprain and advised her to take it easy. 

Over the next several months her right foot would swell on occasion and the skin would be red, but it would subside with time. She attributed it to wearing bad shoes.

” I had quite the love affair with adorable little ballet flats,” Jessie said. “Adorable but absolutely no support for the feet. I would switch out my shoes and the swelling would decrease.”

Six months prior to diagnosis both her left and right foot would swell significantly. If she would take her shoes off at the office during the day she wouldn’t be able to get them back on because they would swell so much. By the end of the day she could hardly walk and her feet would throb. She again spoke with her doctor about the pain and swelling and she attributed the swelling to a blood pressure issue. She changed her blood pressure medication in hopes of reducing the swelling. 

Four months prior to diagnosis all of Jessie’s symptoms subsided. Her feet quit swelling, they didn’t throb and she could walk easily. She attributed the reduction in symptoms to getting her blood pressure under control, despite the fact that her blood pressure medication was changed at least 60 days before the swelling subsided.

“I was just glad the swelling had gone away and put it all out of my mind,” Jessie said. ” I had recently adopted my infant daughter and was so busy with being a new mom, I didn’t give it much thought. No swelling meant no problems in my mind.”  

Then as quickly as the symptoms faded they returned. But this time the swelling was extreme. Jessie had recently undergone eye surgery and was required to remain face down for 30 minutes out of every hour. During that period, her feet and legs began to swell. Her doctor attributed the swelling to the lack of movement since surgery and put her on a water pill. The water pill worked, her swelling went down temporarily but she had a bad reaction to the medication and passed out. When she regained consciousness the paramedics were asking her what was wrong and all she could tell them was her foot hurt. 

After passing out, she was taken to the hospital where the doctor on call treated her for low blood pressure and dehydration. While laying in the hospital bed her left foot began to swell quickly, redden and was warm to the touch. She asked him if she could have broken it when she fell while passing out. He brushed it off and attributed the swelling to water retention yet again. Home she went, sore foot and all. 

Over the course of the weekend her foot swelled to a size she couldn’t believe was possible. Jessie describes it as a monster foot, morphing from what once looked like a human foot to what looked like a monster foot. As it swelled it became more deformed and continued to get warmer. Two more trips to the emergency room occurred before she was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of cellulitis. It was another two days before a doctor finally agreed to x-ray her foot. Sure enough, it was broken. 

She was told she had a Lisfranc fracture, which is when the toes are dislocated from the mid foot. Her toes veered to the left while a large lump of bone could be seen on the right side of her foot. Due to the time which had elapsed since the injury occurred, quite a bit of damage had been done since she had been walking on it She was transferred to a surgeon out of town for surgery. When she was transferred I was told by the orthopedic surgeon at her home hospital, “Worst case scenario, you lose your foot, best case scenario, you walk with a limp and have lifelong pain.” 

“After surgery I was told I had Charcot Foot,” Jessie said. “I had no idea what Charcot Foot was or what the future held. At the time I thought surgery fixed it, not realizing Charcot Foot is a lifelong condition. Due to the late diagnosis my foot was badly damaged. Surgery realigned my toes and pins now held my mid foot together. But I now had the infamous “rocker bottom” associated with Charcot.”

Four months after surgery on her left foot, she began to have severe swelling in the right foot. A trip back to the surgeon confirmed what she already knew. She also had Charcot Foot in her left foot. 

At the time she felt like her story was unique. She wondered how this could have been missed by so many doctors for such a period of time. She now realizes her story is not unique.

” Almost every person I have spoken to with Charcot Foot went through an extensive period of misdiagnosis,” Jessie said. “The most common misdiagnosis is cellulitis.”

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis can be costly for those with Charcot Foot. Delayed diagnosis increases the risk of complications and amputation. Jessie firmly believes the only way to improve this situation is through awareness and education among medical professionals and those with neuropathy.

“I’ve been diabetic for years and had never heard of Charcot Foot,” Jessie said. “I wish more medical professionals would talk about Charcot Foot and educate those with neuropathy about the signs and symptoms.”

Jessie now wears total contact AFO braces on both feet. She sees her surgeon regularly and is happy to report her feet are currently stable. She encourages others to see their physicians regularly and discuss any concerns they have with medical professionals.

Since interviewing Jessie for this article she has released an Ebook, I Miss My Shoes: Living with Charcot Foot. We visited with her again to learn more about what motivated her to write the book. Visit our review of the book and see our question and answer session with Jessie.

Jennifer has also shared her experience living with Charcot Foot.

What is Charcot Foot?

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Charcot Foot is a serious condition. It can lead to deformity, disability and amputation. The earlier Charcot Foot is diagnosed and treated the better outcomes a patient will experience. Charcot Foot cannot be cured and damage caused by Charcot Foot cannot be reversed.

Charcot Foot Acute Stage

Charcot Foot is often “staged” by physicians using three stages.  When in an “acute stage” a patient will likely experience significant swelling, the foot will be warm to the touch and will likely be red. Frequently, misdiagnosis occurs during the acute stage as the symptoms are mistaken for signs of infection. During the acute stage, significant damage can be done to the bone structure of the foot. If x-rays are done during this stage they will likely show fractures and dislocations.

Charcot Foot Subacute Stage

The second stage, known as the “subacute stage”, is characterized by healing. Patients will begin to see a decrease in swelling, redness will subside and the temperature of the foot will begin to return to normal. During this period the bones can still be damaged so it is important to remain non-weight bearing.

Charcot Foot Chronic Stage

Stage three is known as the cool phase or the “chronic stage”. During this period the foot should have minimal swelling, no redness and be of normal temperature. X-rays performed during this stage will show consolidation of the bone. During this stage, patients are considered stable. The foot is not worsening in condition but will not improve. It is important to remember each stage can occur more than once and can occur at varying times in either foot.

When first diagnosed with Charcot Foot you most likely headed straight to Google and searched for anything you could find on Charcot Foot. Chances are you came up with a lot of information about Charcot Marie-Tooth and not much information about Charcot Foot. The two conditions are often confused, so let me be clear, Charcot Foot and Charcot Marie-Tooth are two very different conditions. Charcot Marie-Tooth is an inherited neurological disorder while Charcot Foot is a condition causing weakening of the bones in the foot.