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sneaker transition

Posted , 6 users are following.

julie2011
julie2011

Hi all, I am 7 weeks post-op and my doctor told me to start wearing a sneaker around the house. I just tried to get into my shoe and there is no way that is happening. Do I really need to buy sneakers 3x my size to start this process or does anyone have any other tricks/ ideas that have worked?

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • michelle48006
    michelle48006 julie2011

    Posted

    Sorry, I'm only at 4.5 weeks so not there yet! Would be interested in the answers you get.

    My feet are sooooo itchy around the scars. Especially at night. Is anyone else getting that?

    • gilleegreen
      gilleegreen michelle48006

      Posted

      hi michelle.... yes had the itching around the scar areas and yes its always at night, the only thing i could do to ease it was to dab sudo cream on them and put a light bandage around my foot, the cream did ease it and the bandage stopped me me scratching it.... its horrible i know it feels awful.... as if we dont have enough to put up with !!!! doctors just never seem to tell you much about post op issues ! so wished at times i had never had them done at all... i am ten weeks post op had both feet done together, no two days are the same at the moment.... x
  • gilleegreen
    gilleegreen julie2011

    Posted

    hi there julie, i am ten weeks post op and i was told the same thing, go and now put some form of shoe one....... omg if only i could none of my wide fitting shoes fit... and no way would i put them into trainers, could not stand any pressure at all.... i am going to spain on 11th August... what does one wear....... the only thing i can good old flat house slippers.... but i have had to cut the toes out as i could not stand anything pressing against my toes..... its not the look i really want for marbella... but its the only things i can get on my feet apart from cereal boxes.... they are soft no pressure and very comfortable, i am in the uk and they come from a department store good old Primarks x not really the look for summer nights out by i really dont care at the moment !!!
    • julie2011
      julie2011 gilleegreen

      Posted

      That Is a great idea. Do slippers have the same support as a sneaker? My foot is no where near ready to have anything pressed on it. The boot still is uncomfortable with the pressure on top of my big toe. I hate the thought of pushing my foot into a shoe right now with it being as sensitive as it is, even though I am so eager to be back to walking normal and to get out of my house.......your trip by the way sounds amazing.
    • gilleegreen
      gilleegreen julie2011

      Posted

      hi julie, i dont know if the slippers have the same support as a trainer/sneaker but no way can i get my foot in a trainer the thought of my toes touching anything makes me feel sick, these slippers are so soft and there is not pressure on any part of my foot, its like walking on soft cotton wool which is all i can bare at the moment... me too i just want to walk even though its painful i just want to feel abit of normality again, the surgeon told me when he took pins out to get rid of the black boot now, it was only that i had no shoes to come home in from the hospital that i still have them, i do wish you well and hope you find something even if only temp while your healing, it does help the mind to walk again x
    • julie2011
      julie2011 gilleegreen

      Posted

      Hi, when you first starting walking in your slippers, did you have a lot of pain? I haven't tried walking withour the black boot at all. Even in the shower I put my leg up on a chair . I haven't taken any steps without the boot. When I attempted the slipper I had, even though my foot wasn't all the way in, I was really scared and my weight seemed twice as much on the foot. I wish you well and a great trip in august!!! I am sure there is a bright light at the end of this recovery for us, I just wished it sooner as I was told i would be up and running at 6 weeks. Not even close, I am barely walkingsad
  • nicola22779
    nicola22779 julie2011

    Posted

    Hi. Had my scarf/akin osteotomy in February. I could not fit my running shoes on at first. After a while I could if I took the insole out. I used Teva strap sandals as I already had some. When the weather was wet I put a polythene bag over my sock to stop the foot getting wet. I didn't buy any new footwear for my swollen foot, I just used what I had. I think crocs would have been good too but I only thought of these a short time OK and my foot is not really swollen anymore!
    • julie2011
      julie2011 nicola22779

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the idea. My husband suggested this morning to get crocs as well. I just dnt want to buy a new shoe and have to get a bigger size because my foot is still swollen. I feel like this black boot is gping to be with me for a while.
    • nicola22779
      nicola22779 julie2011

      Posted

      No problem at all! I remember feeling like you and had to think of lots of things to do to take my mind off running and walking. I started cycling a lot and am now hooked. Cycling is great as the shoe soles are rigid and I can cycle as hard as I want without hurting my foot. Regarding crocs, they (or versions of crocs) are very cheap so you shouldn't feel like you are throwing money away! Also, I find them very wide-fitting which is good in your circumstances I believe! Now that my foot is its normal size again, I just use them for the shower at the gym. I'm not sure what sort of black boot you have. I had one which had a big block under the heel to keep my toes from contacting the floor. I found my back hurt after a few weeks of using it as it made me lop-sided so I got rid of it as soon as it was safe to do so. All the best!
    • michelle48006
      michelle48006 nicola22779

      Posted

      Hi, I am also wearing the hideous black boots, I've got to keep them for 7 weeks .

      How long before I can start cycling? I had both feet done 4.5 weeks ago?

    • nicola22779
      nicola22779 michelle48006

      Posted

      I started two hours after the huge bandage came off (at six weeks) and I could put my cycling shoe on. I went for a 10-mile bike ride to celebrate my freedom! It's an individual judgment I suppose. It's important to enjoy yourself and push yourself but to ease back when you feel discomfort. Good luck!
  • melanie75459
    melanie75459 julie2011

    Posted

    I'm 6 weeks post-op tomorrow and should be getting my bandages off tmrw but my surgeon is away so won't get them off til next week. I can't WAIT!!! This is my second foot so I'm a little better prepared for the shoe thing because I know I will not be able to wear trainers (as you call them - here in Canada we call them running shoes). I did not buy trainers to fit my swollen foot but preferred to use my birkenstocks for walking around the house and simply adjusted the strap on top. Every couple of weeks I was able to go down a notch. When I needed more support walking outdoors, I did what Nicola did and removed the insoles from my trainers and kept them as loose as possible without compromising support. I didn't want to injure myself after all that I'd been through. This time around, I'll be prepared with comfy terry cloth slippers for the early days (thank you, Gillie, for the GREAT suggestion). Here in Canada we have Isotoners and they have all different kinds of cushiony, soft slippers to choose from...similar to the ones Gillie posted. Luckily, it's still summer so no need to find boots to wear. (That would be a challenge. I found a couple of pairs last winter that were very comfy and smart-looking (Reiker) but didn't have to wear them until 28 weeks post-op). 
  • caroline38772
    caroline38772 julie2011

    Posted

    Julie

    What I did for weeks 6 - 10 after the op was to wear a pair of old walking sandals, but with filght compression socks. a complete nightmare to get on, but they do slim your feet down to a more manageble size. after week 10 i found that my feet (i had both done at the same time) could fit into another old pair of boots I had, and at week 15 managed to wiggle into a pair of sketchers, my size, and i've been living in them since.

    Been told that tennis shoes are good to start with, but something soft and pliable. Lace ups good as they contain the feet and seem to push the swelling upwards towards the leg.... and i forgot about Uggs (or similar) .. very comfortable, and probaly very welcomed in this wonderful cold summer we're having.

    Caroline

    • julie2011
      julie2011 caroline38772

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the suggestions. I tried to put a slipper on last night, but my foot still would not fit in those and it does have a sole to it, but it hurt so bad to just stand in it, even though half of my foot was not in it. I was at this stage once before at week 4, but my first two days without the extra cushion wrap on my foot set me back two weeks and then I am here again. My doctor took the extra cushion off yesterday and I just have a basic gauze wrap with tape over top. M foot is beginning to hurt a lot again. Should I feel this much pain in transitioning into a shoe?
    • caroline38772
      caroline38772 julie2011

      Posted

      Julie

      you'll feel a lot of pain anyway, it will be ongoing, and will diminish over time, i'm eight months on, and i still hurt and swell.

      As i remember i came back from the surgery (6 weeks) threw the stripper shoes to the side and .... counldn't put my feet into my birkenstocks, so i used hubby's, and continued to do so for the next month or so. it hurt! and walking was kept to a minimum.

      My walking sandals were the ones with velcro straps everywhere, not very fashonable, but could be adjusted to fit any balloon shape that my feet decided to be on any particular day. and they gave me freedom to walk out of the house, painfully and slowly. i only managed to get into trainers about the 4 month mark.

      Its a long journey. and if your feet don't fit into any particular shoe, don't foce them, and try any shoes on, after a long foot up resting period, you'll find they'll fit better.

      Caroline

      x

       

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