Preoperative Foot Orthosis Use Changed the Walking Ability of a Patient with Collagen Ⅵ-related Myopathy: Case Report

[Purpose] We report a case of collagen 6 (COL6)-related myopathy for whom preoperative orthosis therapy improved the patient's ability to walk smoothly after Achilles tendon lengthening (ATL). [Participant and Methods] The patient was a 30-year-old male who was diagnosed with COL6−related myopathy. As he grew older, he experienced forefoot pain during weight-bearing, which made walking progressively more difficult. Initially, the patient did not want surgery. A conservative foot orthosis was made to promote plantar contact. Two years later, he had ATL to improve his walking ability. [Results] The patient’s post-operative walking ability exceeded his pre-operative walking ability for 6 months. [Conclusion] A combination of orthoses and ATL may be a good gait reconstruction method for severe equinus in adults with progressive myopathies.