Possibilities of Rehabilitation in Patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.

Overview

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most comon type of hereditary sensory motor neuropathy (HMSN). It is estimated that in the CR there are some 2 to 4 thousand patients with this disease. The clinical picture is characterized by gradual deterioration of the mobility and sensitivity of the lower extremities (tater also the upper ones) due to peripheral nerve affection. It is typical that the disease progresses slowly. In particular affection of the lower extremities is typical: at first a typical deformity of the foot develops, characteristic for the disease (pes cavus - tramsversoplanus). On the lower extremity we observe moreover progressing muscular weakness affectiog first the muscles of the foot, tater the leg muscles and possibly the radicular muscles. There are 7 developmental stages of the disease which are characterized among others by the topical features and degree of muscular affection. The presented work summarizes basic diagnostic procedures and subsequent comprehensive treatment where a substantial part is formed by rehabilitation and prosthetics.

Key words:
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, neuropathy, muscular atrophy, orthopaedic deformities, rehabilitation, prosthetics