AFO and Running

Hey everyone,  well tonight I didn't work out, instead I really wanted to sit down and  do some in depth research on AFO's for running.  So for the past couple of hours I have been reading and browsing the internet for some insight or direction. As you know Charcot Marie Tooth affects everyone differently by severity in nature. Some have severe cases of CMT, while others like myself have a mild case of it. I categorize myself in the mild case considering I have been doing a lot of research and have read a lot other people blogs in regards to their severity of CMT and I feel that I have been blessed in regards to my ability to still be able to stand and walk without any type of crutches or AFO's. So yes I considered myself blessed based on my severity.

Anyways, I'm having a tough time as well as feeling a little overwhelmed by how many different types of AFO's that are out there. There is a lot that are just made for people to walk in, and for some to just fix their gait, yet I haven't really found any made for running. That's only half my problem, besides that fact I need them to hold up while I'm running, I need ones that can support a big dude like myself. Ultimately I know I will slim down, but it wont be a huge slim down. I just have to face it... I'm a big dude and that's that. So I write to all of you to see if I can reach out to those who either run or have ran in orthotics. If any of you have any suggestion or maybe a specific company that makes AFO's for athletes, as well as they can hold up for 250+ lb guy like myself could you please either contact me via Google+ or email.

I have found a few, one called the "Noodle AFO, and another one by MMAR Medical, and then there is one by Ossur. So as you can see their are option out there but I can't find any info in regards to how they would with stand the beat down of a long marathon run, as well as durability from a big guy like myself. I work in a Orthopedic Clinic so I have tons of resources to my disposal. I was given a name of a company that I was referred to by our DME (Durable Medical Equipment fitter) person. Yet the company I am dealing with has not returned any of my past phone calls. So I can't keep waiting for this person to call me back in regards to some AFO's he said he had "ordered" for me.

Yet the other big challenge is to see if my insurance is willing to either pick up a portion of the bill or will I be footing the whole bill myself. If anyone has any experience in this type of situation please let me know. I am sure I will find something, but I want to be real sure that the AFO's I'm purchasing can with stand a marathon considering the cost I will have to shell out to make this IronMan a reality.

I guess I am a little frustrated and confused... I just want to make the right purchase and make sure I am getting the correct AFO for my needs.

Well thanks again for listening everyone and I just wanted to say thanks to those who started following me. Tomorrow I'm in the gym so Ill try to sneak in a couple of pictures of me and my good friends working out in the gym, without trying to look to much like a perv.


"No ma'am! I really wasn't taking a picture of you" I can totally see it now. ; \


Chat with you guys soon!


-Jaime