slo’s WEDNESDAY 5/21 poll - Orthopedic Walking Boot

[slo]

A walking boot is never fun to wear - they’re big, they’re clunky, they’re hot - not fun . As much as they are a pain in the butt, they are very beneficial when needed. If you don’t know about a walking boot, here ya go….



Currently I’m wearing one, which is what inspired this poll. I’ve been in it for 2 weeks now and it’ll be my Springtime accessory for the remainder of May and maybe June too. So, as I’m clunking around in this thing like Herman Munster, I started wondering how many of you have worn one of these in the past. Share with us today……..

Have you ever worn a walking boot?
If yes…..which foot?
If yes…..why did you need it?
(multiple choice)



For Me…….As I mentioned above, I’m currently in a walking boat and it’s on my right foot. My plantar fascia is torn and I’ve been dealing with this since last autumn. It started to get better and then we went to WDW and walk 55 miles in five days and it made everything just boil over (I limped the majority of that trip - something I/we will never forget). So my doctor put me in this boot to try to help get it to heal and I’m also doing physical therapy on it. This is not my first rodeo with this. I tore the plantar fascia in my left foot 15 years ago - that was almost a complete rupture (that was scary - I felt it and heard it rip - it made my knees buckle - it was awful). I did require surgery for that and I was in a walking boot for five months for 24 hours a day - I was only allowed to take it off to change my pants and change my sock. The goal is to not have surgery on this right foot now. As cumbersome and clunky as this boot is, it does make the foot way easier to walk on, which is a blessing. This last Walt Disney World trip really was an epic amount of walking, and was the most we ever did - the last trip was 43 miles. DD21 and I agree that from now on, we’re not doing that anymore. As much fun as we have doing it, we need to take it down a notch - her feet were killing her too by the end of the trip. I’m not complaining though, that trip was so much fun.

 

[Kitty 34]

I've never worn a boot but back in the 70's when I broke my foot in college I had a walking cast.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Broke my feet 4 times refused to wear a boot I got a titanium plate to put in my shoes and wear my shoes all the time with the plate I hate wearing shoes and despise wearing shoes but I would never wear a boot or a cast I told him if he put the cast on me I’d go home and have a sawed off that’s why we went with the plate
But I can understand your situation as I have had to wear a neck brace twice for eight weeks each time after my surgeries 24/7 and it was torture
I hope the boot fixes your foot - I bought spit out my coffee when I read the Herman Munster reference too funny you know I’m gonna start calling you that!!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I had my left foot reconstructed, and so, I did wear a walking boot.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Uggh, that stinks, I hope you heal quickly.

Had to wear one for a while for my foot and it ruined my knee. I don't know if they twist the knee as much in everyone but know I have knee pain, crutches are much better IMO so I keep them around for flares because they keep me totally off the foot but the leg can rest naturally so I usually heal much faster. Crutches can be bought on amazon so now I keep them around .

I found the biggest improvement for the plantar fascia is a thick cushioned shoe to prevent the impact damage and pain, the New Balance Fuel Cell Propel V5 are the newest version I invested in because they allow me to walk around but it seems like any long distance running show is designed to reduce force of impact which is the thing that seems to set it off. Haven;t had a flare since I started wearing these shoes so fingers crossed.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I've never worn a walking boot but I have had to deal with plantar fasciitis. I wore orthotics for many years. It took about eight months but I was able to cure my plantar fasciitis.

 

[Dan Murphy]

What a bummer, Sandy. Well, at least it resulted from a fun trip, not something that was not fun. You have the right attitude. Get well soon. s

As to the question, no, I've never worn a walking boot.

 

[Meriweather]

I'm sorry you are going through this......hope it is healing nicely and no surgery will be needed.

I have never worn a boot. But I do have planter fasciitis. It has been almost 2 years since it started. About a month of pain. Then doctor told me to never go barefoot. I have inside sandals I wear now and it hasn't acted up again......I was a barefoot girl inside the house all the time, so not fun.

My DD broke her foot in karate several years ago and had to wear one and DGD broke her foot a couple years ago and had to wear one.

 

[Rogue1677x]

I wore one about 14 years ago for plantar fasciitis after trying many other treatments. It was awkward to maneuver, but I made the best of it.

 

[tazdev3225]

I was in one for about a year until I said enough. I tripped over uneven pavement and tore ligaments, cartilage, and had some small stress fractures. I left for Disney two weeks after the fall and my friend I traveled with pretty much mothered me the whole trip. Unfortunately, that ankle is now weak and is prone to roll over injuries. Two years ago, I had a fracture from a delivery service throwing a package I wasn't expecting in front of the door. Was in the boot for two months. No sooner did I get out of it than I tripped over some uneven pavement and yep another small fracture. I was more upset that my camera lens was damaged with that fall. I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter in the boot that time. I keep it in the closet just in case I need it again, and I will most likely.

The bad thing from wearing one so often is that it threw my gait off and now I have issues with my right hip.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Thankfully I have never had to wear one of those!

 

[CynBeth]

Thankfully I have never had to wear one of those!

Same here but my DH has due to gout.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Never broke or fractured any bones in my body until I dropped a s/s skillet on my foot in my 30’s and broke a toe. No special equipment required but man did that hurt!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I have never, but we do have two sitting around the house from when DD18 broke her ankle and another for when DD16 got a stress fracture in her lower leg.

 

[ronandannette]

Lucky enough never to have needed one, or any other kind of cast.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I've worn a walking boot many times...

 

[amcnj]

Not so far. But there’s still time!

 

[fly girl]

I've worn a boot. Broke a bone (tripped going down stairs) that was 2mm away from needing surgery, so I was thankful the boot was all I needed. And it beat the daylights out of crutches that I had to use why I waited to see the specialist. Naturally, I broke it on a Saturday so I had to wait until Monday.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, @slo!

 

[Micca]

Never had one, sorry to hear about your sitch Sandy, We've joined the folks who no longer have to be WDW warriors walking soooooo many miles each day.

 

[TCRAIG]

My answers are going to skew your survey - I’ve worn a walking boot several times…twice in my right foot for a sprained ankle and again for plantar fasciitis-left foot was after surgery to remove some of the bone in 2 of my toes-and once on both feet to heal from breaking both my big toes (still don’t know how I managed to do that)…