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Physio back exercises wearing an air boot

Posted , 5 users are following.

tracy51603
tracy51603

hi all xx

i am into week 3 having had cast removed and air boot given to wear for 2 mnths.

i cant recommend more highly self referring for physio on the NHS had i not been given the tip i would have spent the 2months just weight bearing which alone wouldnt have addressed the other problems that would have had to have been sorted out with physio some way down the line !

so little tip there just in case you are hurried along out of the fracture clinic none the wiser . SELF REFERR PHYSIO !

anyhoooo my physio is on 2weeks holiday so altho im totally organised with a thoro work out i find i now have a really stiff lower back from wearing the bloody boot !

i have searched you tube and across the internet for some simple exercises to help my lower back and i cant find anything related to wearing a leg cast or air boot !!

has anyone else had the problem and could they possibly share any exercise tips ?

i have just bought some riser insoles for my trainers to make up the difference in gaite .

thank you in advance

tracy xxxx

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • karen70040
    karen70040 tracy51603

    Posted

    Hi Tracy,

    I'm about to be out of the cast tomorrow,after 7 weeks in it. Hopefully into a boot Could you tell me what self refer physio is? I'll expect to be referred, but does it mean I have to do it myself? If so, how does that work? Thanks in advance, Im rather nervous about all this.

    karen

  • diane86522
    diane86522 tracy51603

    Posted

    Hi there. My Phys Therapist told me to use a cane or a crutch with boot. My break was on the left ankle so she advised me to use cane on RIGHT side. It helps with balance & taking some of the pressure off the ankle & back. Also, she checked the height of the cane & okayed it for my actual height. Apparently that is an important thing to factor in the equation.

    All the best! -D

  • Llamalah
    Llamalah tracy51603

    Posted

    Hi Tracey,

    I had lower back pain, both for the very short time I was walking in the boot and from the limp after I was completely aid free. I was non weight bearing in a cast for two weeks then the boot for 4 weeks but once I start weight bearing I was only wearing it for around 1 1/2 weeks.

    I got an "evenup" which attaches to the bottom of the non-injured foot shoe and places it exactly at the same height as the boot. You can often find them on facebook marketplace, ebay etc. going for cheap as people tend to only use them for a short period of time.

    It worked wonderfully for easing hip and lower back pain while walking.

    Lower back stretches that I have been doing with my physio that you should be able to do while wearing a boot:

    • 'Cat Cows'
    • 'cobras'
    • glute bridges
    • curl ups.

    These all work on getting the mid and lower back moving which will ease the pain, and strengthen/stabilise the core to stop further pain.

    There are others that I do but as I am now out of the boot I'm not sure what you should be able to do. If you google basic pilates this might give you some ideas for other things you could manage (and ignore the fact that they say a side plank is a basic exercise. anything with the word plank in it is not basic).

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