Bree26
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Joined: 02 Apr 2007
Posts: 5
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 Posted: 04/02/07 - 19:01 Post subject: What's your opinion on orthotics? |
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Hi - I fractured my foot Jan. 3, had three screws surgically placed on Jan. 12, was in a cast for 6 weeks (totally immobile excepting for hopping around on one foot behind a walker!), in a walking boot for two weeks after that, and I've been in a running shoe since. I'm just about 12 weeks post-op.
I'm doing PT a couple of times a week, which seems to help with flexibilty a little bit. I walk but fairly slowly although it does get better every day. I was fortunate in that the ER I went to the night I injured the foot recognized that it was a severe fracture and told me to stay off it until I saw a DPM within a couple of days. He knew it was Lis Francs as soon as he saw the X-rays. So I've had minimal pain throughout the whole ordeal, which seems to be unusual from what I've read here.
So, to my question: has anyone found orthotics to be helpful? My DPM suggests I get custom ones, which my insurance keeps refusing to pay for (two appeals and one pending now), but I'd like to hear others' experiences with and/or without orthotics. I have an older pair from pre-injury that I stuck in my shoes today because my foot was rolling out to overcompensate for the injury. The difference is pretty amazing - my foot was hurting on the opposite side of my injury because it was rolling out and today I've had no pain there. Of course, as I said, these are pre-surgery orthotics. So I'm assuming those made to my feet now should be beneficial. Has anyone had any luck with non-custom orthotics? Is there any type of shoe insert that you've found helpful?
Another question: does the "tall foot" problem lessen over time? My son has a naturally "tall" foot and it's always been really difficult to buy shoes for him. If it doesn't lace up, then he can't wear it (and even then it's sometimes impossible). Now I have the same problem. I can't get my foot into anything besides the sneakers I'm wearing and a new pair of Easy Spirit shoes ("Storm Surge") that have a velcro strap. Cute but not appropriate for everything. I can't even wear a moccasin type slipper, which is frustrating. I'm in a shoe basically all day because I haven't gone barefoot yet (doctor says I can but I will admit to being chicken!). Does shoe shopping get easier?
Thanks for any replies and I wish the best of luck to everyone here. It really is quite the ordeal to go through, and it's nice to find a place where people understand! |
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