Planning for lower limb reconstructive and tendon transfer surgery : the Long Haul
For patients with Charcot Marie Tooth peripheral neuropathy and other neuropathic limb conditions, planning for bilateral foot and ankle surgery can be a daunting prospect.
Dr Ellis and Dr Symes may have suggested that you consider surgery, this information sheet aims to help break down the pathway to surgery and postoperatively into some manageable steps.
Preoperative Physiotherapy:
Pre-operatively, you would be helped by physiotherapy that aims to isolate (i.e., show you) and strengthen the tibialis posterior tendon. This tendon is an important tendon to transfer and the stronger it is, the better will be your result.
Strengthening the tibialis posterior pre-operatively over six or twelve months is of definite benefit to you as is any attempt to strengthen the tibialis anterior and other muscles of the foot. In other words, some pre-surgery physiotherapy is of excellent advantage to you in your pathway towards surgery.