Hi, With foot drop a person can trip over their toes. However, sometimes that doesn't happen if the foot drop isn't that bad. I have some but not to the point of tripping over my toes. I wear AFO's now for almost two years. I use a cane and an arm when out. Otherwise, I touch the counters, walls, doorways, furniture - you name it when I'm home. I can tell I am progressing though. At some point I suppose I will need casted AFO's and wide shoes. The ones I have are called Toe Offs and they fit in your regular shoes. I still have ankle movement with these which I am grateful for. With casted ones you really don't. You do lose some good muscle with AFO's as well.

Can you stand on your tiptoes and can you stand on your heels. I haven't been able to stand on my tiptoes for 20 years however it never interfered with anything. Now with your hands clawing up that makes me wonder. Some have CMT symptoms which affect their hands and their feet. Others only their feet (that's me) and some only their hands. It is just different for anyone with CMT even within the same family. My legs feel heavy too. It's the process of lifting your legs and having muscle atrophy in some of the muscles. CMT is progressive and that is certainly true.

It really does sound like it could be a type of CMT. Hopefully, you will get to the bottom of it. Take care. Keep us posted.