Re: DBB 23/7, how many times off in a day?

[Guest guest]

,

I believe it is usually recommended to take the shoes on and off

several times a day for the first few days to check for blisters or

sores (and stretching if your doctor recommends it). After these

initial days though, I believe most docs do recommend doing the 1 hour

all at once. Our doctor also recommends the stretching exercises but

when Sammy was in the shoes 23/7 we just did the stretches right at

the beginning of our 1 hour, and right at the end of our free hour. I

wouldn't be overly concerned with the few minutes that you are getting

him in and out of the shoes - it is important to have them in the

shoes 23 hours, but if it boils down to 22 hours and 45 minutes when

you are adding in shoe on/off time I would not worry too much. Plus,

you will soon be a pro at putting the shoes on and it will only take 5

minutes! Hope this helps.

Thanks,

>

> Hi folks,

>

> Raphael has now been in the DBB for 5 days, and is adjusting

> nicely, though it's still clear that he likes it better off. He has

> so much fun with his free time, but we are resisting the temptation

> to give him too much.

>

> I have a question about the free time though. First, my understanding

> is that 23/7 means that he should be in the shoes and bar 23

> hours a day, and that when we undo the first bolt when taking

> the bar off that counts as the start of free time (not, say, when we

> finally have both shoes off).

>

> Dr. Mosca and the orthotist at Children's expect us to take the

> shoes off many times a day (at least 3-4). The apparent

> reasons/advantages are to check for skin problems and catch

> them early and to do stretches to preserve range of motion.

> On the other hand, it currently takes me about 8-9 minutes

> total to get the shoes and bar off and on. If I'm doing it

> four times a day, that means that half of Rafe's free time is

> eaten up with me messing with at least one foot! It would be

> more fun if we could consolidate it all into one hour.

>

> So, I'm wondering what other people have been advised about

> how many times to take the shoes off in a day. What does Dr. Ponseti

> say? What do folks actually do? How important is it to do the

> stretches a several different points in a day rather than all at once?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

> Toby 5/02

> Raphael 9/05, lcf, DBB 23/7

>