Heel lifts in Airwalker boot

Hi Imran, 

i have can't seem to get correct answer so whilst I am waiting thought I would see if anyone else could help. 

Thks

 

I have noticed, no one reply back on this forum.. Lol!! They must have given you a card with Do's and Dont, with the contact number.

So call them

No dos and don't just sent on my merry way, over load on information at the time. It's only when you get home you have questions unanswered. Will keep ringing them. 

Keep ringing them and get your answer

NHS is not at all Professional!!

I am surprised!!

So Karen what you do  for living are you on sick leave?

Hi I've also got air cast with heel lifts in and told to take one out every week, I assume it's the top one you take out first 

Hi,

Thanks so much for replying< nice to know someone is looking at this site.

i finally got hold of the hospital and they confirmed the same.  i think by taking out one of the inserts i feel i am on the way to recovery. hope you are too, best of luck.

karen nice="" to="" know="" someone="" is="" looking="" at="" this="" site.="" i="" finally="" got="" hold="" of="" the="" hospital="" and="" they="" confirmed="" the="" same. ="" i="" think="" by="" taking="" out="" one="" of="" the="" inserts="" i="" feel="" i="" am="" on="" the="" way="" to="" recovery.="" hope="" you="" are="" too,="" best="" of="" luck.="">

i finally got hold of the hospital and they confirmed the same.  i think by taking out one of the inserts i feel i am on the way to recovery. hope you are too, best of luck.

karen>

Hi Karen

Hope you are recovering well.

Just a question, can you take of the boot and take a shower?

Thx

Hi Imran, 

All going well, 4 weeks today and just taken out one of my heel lifts. 

Yes i I take my boot off to have a shower obviously not putting my foot down on the ground. I am getting quite good at standing on one leg! I like to take my foot out of the boot once a day and just let some air get to it for half an hour with my foot up. 

How are you getting on?

Karen 

That sound great!!

At least you can have a shower, i have to buy a plasticcover for £20 so it covers the plaster.

They changed the plaster on Monday into a fubre glass its much lighter and the best thing is when i have requested the plaster tecnichen for the fibre glass the advise me we dont have that and when i asked which one is this which you are changing to, she replied its a syntechic .

There are only Two types plaster and fiberglass.

NHS, what can i say!!!

Oh dear, glad I don't have them although this boot can get heavy. Are you not allowed to take your off?

I have a plaster, so cant take it off, you still taking unjections? I am really getting enough of it now!!

Yeah still doing injections, hate it sometimes it stings and some bruising but not all the time. I have another 6 weeks of injections, whoopee!

So you have to wrar the boot for next 6 weeks? 

Yeah minimum 6 more weeks in total would have had it on for 10 weeks when I go back to docs end of July and not guarantee it will come off then, bloody hope so! How long us your plaster on for. Strange you don't have a boot but it seems NHS trust do things different all over the country, god knows why

They told me 6 weeks then after 4 weeks they will do ultra sound and i may be allowed to walk on the toes!! 

Wow such different approaches. I went to physio today and was hoping for for exercises but told can't run before I walk! I am so ready to get on with the process and feeling frustrated. 

I mean, i am in 3rd week now so following Monday ir will be 4 weeks and they will do the ultr sound. And, i may stRt walking on the Toes!! Letssee!!

I dont trust NHS at all!!

Nurse say something different, Doctor advise you again someghing different, where shouldergo??? Very unprofessional !

Thanks Karen, I hope your recovery goes well too.  I hope all goes well for you too Imran.

I completed my treatment last year, so I'm back to normal now and can walk as well as I did before. I had an operation in April 2013 to stitch my tendon back together, after a complete tear.  Following the operation, I was in a plaster cast for two weeks and when the cast was removed I was given a rigid boot with four heal inserts to wear (in my earlier post I said five, that was wrong, it was in fact four).  I wore the boot for thirteen weeks, from late April to late July and throughout that period I had regular physiotherapy appointments at the hospital and was given gentle exercises to do each day at home.  After I was allowed to stop wearing the boot in late July, I started doing short walks and short bike rides in the local park and gradually increased the distance each time.  This, in conjunction with physio sessions at the hospital, was very helpful in getting me mobile again.  I was signed off by the physiotherapy department at the end of September 2013.

It's a long process, six months in my case, so you'll need to be patient and go with the flow.  The results will be worth it in the end.

Will

 

Cheers mate

Hi Will, 

wow this is a long process, obviously yours was an op so hoping mine won't be that long. Sounds scared but all will be OK in the end. 

Question, when you started walking with one crutch which one crutch did yo use? What leg was the fracture so what crutch did you use ( on what side)? Have had 2 different opinions so confused. 

Karen

Guys

If you feel pins and needels in your heel and AT, is this something to be worried off?

Yes get all the time Imran

Thats ok. As they advise me if i do get i need to come to Emergency immediately!!! 

I don't understand. I went to physio yesterday and mentioned this, they were not concerned. Why don't you call your doctors who you are under at the hospital. I called the secretary of mine last week to ask about the heel lifts. Just go out your mind at ease. 

Will go in on Monday

Let me know what they say, getting worried now!

I will, but i am positive few of Docs advise me if you get pins and needles or numbess, come asap!! But you are telling different story!! NHS, JUST WOW!!

Hey guys pins and needles is a sign of bloodloss to a certain area! The tingling sensation are the nerve endings telling the brain there is a problem! I would prob ring nhs direct  if you are worried!! I had pins and needles for the first 3 weeks but that's it!!! Better safe than sorry!! It's bad enough having the injury never mind complications!! I was on the phone constantly in the 1st 3 weeks!!

Totally Agreed!!

Hello Karen,

Sorry for my delayed response, I've been away for a week.  It was my right Achilles tendon that was operated on.  When walking outside, I would use a crutch on the right, the same side as my boot.  I initially used the crutch on the left side but when the physiotherapist noticed what I was doing that was soon corrected.

With respect to pins and needles, mentioned elsewhere on this thread, I don't recollect getting pins and needles but that may have been because of the regular exercises that I was given to do by the physiotherapist.  During the period that I wore the boot, I was given simple exercises to do three times per day.  With the boot off, the exercises consisted of movements of my foot, fowards, backwards, sideways to the left and sideways to the right, ten of each three times per day.  After a month of this, I was given a yellow stretchy band which I would place around the ball of my foot with the ends held in one hand such that there was some tension on the band; the exercises were then carried out using the band, ten of each three times per day rising to fifteen of each three times per day.  I was given additional exercises to do when I was allowed to stop wearing the boot inside of the house in early July.

When my leg was put in a plaster cast at A&E, a few days before having my operation, I was given a leaflet that said I should seek immediate attention if I had pins and needles.  So anyone that is getting that should probably talk to the consultant or department that is treating them to get reassurance on that issue.

Will

Hi Will, 

thanks so much for your response. Lots of different experiences everyone is having. 

Crutches - it seems lots of different opinions. So I have my fracture on the right too and therefore should use the ONE crutch on my right side. This is correct? My physio told me on the left but couldn't work out why........

Hello Karen,

I'm sorry, I got it wrong on my previous response.  I intially used the crutch on the right hand side and then switched to the left.  Although I made a lot of notes throughout my treatment I didn't make any notes about the use of the crutch and so my immediate recollection was wrong.  Thinking about how I used to walk down the street using just one crutch, having it on the left made walking much easier because it helped to adjust my height on the left side given that the boot made my right foot much higher.  When adjusted correctly it would stop me rocking from side to side whilst walking, thus keeping my posture correct.  When my right foot and left arm were in synchronisation I was able to move along at a good pace.

Will

Hi Will, 

Thanks for your recollection of the crutches saga. This does seem to make sense so good to have someone else's opinion. 

Hope all us OK now.

Karen