Re: Shoes on and off

[Guest guest]

Jeri, for me it was a gradual return to being able to handle shoelaces and overshoe buckles, but I'd say by 6 months I was pretty much back to what feels normal. Very early on I did manage to do socks, lying in bed and reaching behind myself rather than bending forward, also could do toenails somewhat messily that way. I'm not very flexible, but have long arms and a short torso, as well as a strong will to handle stuff myself, short of breaking my surgeon's rules for me. The hardest thing last winter was my NEOS overshoes, but I love them because they allow me to wear my most comfortable, supportive shoes in any weather. But I just asked my hubby or my walking buddy for a hand. Now, at 15 months, they are no big deal.

Sharon

[ ] Shoes on and off

I'm wondering what your experience is on how long after revision it takes to be able to put on and take off shoes without assistance or grabber.I'm naturally very flexible... not Gumby, but sit comfortably with my legs comfortably crossed ankle to knee and bended so far that my chest touches that bended thigh.I realize that position will not be allowed (until I'm fully healed? or forever?)So, just wondering.Thanks.Jeri

[Guest guest]

This is a good question, because I've been wondering this myself. The

few times that I tried to put on and take off my shoes (tying them) I

was sore for days. And this was after my 6 months check up. I still use

my sock aid for socks...love that thing. Maybe I should try again. I'm

now at 10 mos post-op, but still having the soreness in my butt from

the bolts. That was what killed me for a few days after trying myself.

Carol

>

> I'm wondering what your experience is on how long after revision it

> takes to be able to put on and take off shoes without assistance or

> grabber.

>

> I'm naturally very flexible... not Gumby, but sit comfortably with my

> legs comfortably crossed ankle to knee and bended so far that my

chest

> touches that bended thigh.

>

> I realize that position will not be allowed (until I'm fully healed?

or

> forever?)

>

> So, just wondering.

> Thanks.

> Jeri

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Jeri,

I'm five years out and still use my sock aid. Mind you, I'm fused very high, T1, and and all the way to my sacrum, so the majority of my spine except my neck is fused, so I have less movement than many here. I'm a stay at home Mom, and my basic uniform is a top, jeans and tennis shoes. I've never used a long shoe horn, but have found a way to get my tennis shoes on and off without tying them each day, I just slip them on. I push the tongue up and between the last set of lacing eyes and it's neighbor, so it's heald in place, makes slipping them on with out tying a piece of cake. I can only get to my feet, by bending my knee and bringing my foot up to the side of my hip while sitting, and awkward way to get at toes, but it works for me. What you get back is individual, many have soooo much more movement than me( after healing), but I have so many fusions, and a weird configuration to my hardware, so pulling to try some movements hurts( and in my past I have cracked a fusion mass) I don't push any movement that hurts, as Carol said. So I go on with what I have movement wise, and after five years I really am fine with what limitations I have, and do most everything my non fused counterparts do. Would I like to be able to bend like someone without fusions, sure, but I traded my pain for this less bendable body, and I wouldn't trade back. After five years my basic instinct is to grab my grabber to get something on the floor, or do a squat or a lunge, bending over like an normal person doesn't even come to mind. Shoes are awkward, thankfully I have a house full of people to help me if I want to wear a sandal with straps and buckles, afterall in life, at some time or another everyone will have challenges, especially with age. I look at my spine as unnaturally aged( through fusions and deterioration due to surgeries and wear and tear) and who isn't glad to help an elderly family member with their shoes, or lifting something heavy, and thats how I think of my spine, aged beyond it's 48 years, and yes, I need some help and some tools to help me get through my day, but ever thankful to be able to stand and walk as much as I want for as long as I want. I'm upright, can see the sky instead of the sidewalk and carpet, so life is good, even without bending, having all that pain gone for me is such a blessing.

[ ] Shoes on and off

I'm wondering what your experience is on how long after revision it takes to be able to put on and take off shoes without assistance or grabber.I'm naturally very flexible... not Gumby, but sit comfortably with my legs comfortably crossed ankle to knee and bended so far that my chest touches that bended thigh.I realize that position will not be allowed (until I'm fully healed? or forever?)So, just wondering.Thanks.Jeri

[Guest guest]

Jeri,

Hi! I'm almost 6 months post-op and I have no problems getting socks

and shoes on, but only because I'm really flexible.

I have what is called a floppy foot on my weak side, and my stronger

foot isn't much better. My legs are very weak too (I'm in a wheelchair

for a different medical problem). What this means is that I have

little to no muscle control in my feet so I cannot push down or

bend/flex them to assist in manuevering socks or shoes on. If you're a

parent, and you remember trying to put shoes on an infant, it's much

the same way, except the foot and the shoes are bigger

At about 2 months post-op, I was able to put socks on while laying in

bed. I would lay on my back, have my knees bent up in the air (with

feet on the bed still), and then reach and pull my leg towards me so

that my foot basically touched my butt - but WITHOUT bending my hips

past 90 degrees because that would pull too much on the pelvic bolts.

I sometimes was able to do it in the same position, but by carefully

crossing one leg over the other (like how a man crosses his legs when

sitting). I didn't do this until more recently, because it required

really rotating the hip, and I didn't feel it was safe. If I'm wearing

long or tight socks though, it's still much easier to use my sock aide.

For my shoes, I do it by sitting down and I hoist one leg up and

sideways across the other (like how a man sits and crosses his legs).

That way I can tug and push the shoe onto my foot as needed without

having to lean or bend.

Now at 6 months, my surgeon has " okayed " me to lean forward and

sideways as needed for reaching. When sitting in my wheelchair I can

lean up onto one hip and reach down to pick up a piece of paper on the

floor right next to the chair. He said that it's not ideal, but with

other medical issues I have, it's sometimes necessary for me to need to

do it. He said that the leaning forward should be limited as much as

possible until 12 months when the fusion is more solid, but that I can

do it occasionally if I really need to. I don't like to do it too

much, as I don't want to pull too much and wreck what I've worked so

hard for these last 6 months. But to be honest, I can't wait until I'm

12 months post-op and I can really see how much flexibility I still

have

If you want to see someone who is unusually flexible, you can check out

pictures of a member who doesn't post too often anymore named Kam at

last year's Flatback retreat. You can see her bending at about a

minute & 30 seconds into the slide show:

/links

and click on Retreat April 2007 Slide Show. I don't know how far she

was out from her revision at that point.

And like said, what everyone can do is so individual, so you'll

have to unfortuantely just wait and see what you are capable of after

your own surgery.

>

> I'm wondering what your experience is on how long after revision it

> takes to be able to put on and take off shoes without assistance or

> grabber.

>

> I'm naturally very flexible... not Gumby, but sit comfortably with my

> legs comfortably crossed ankle to knee and bended so far that my

chest

> touches that bended thigh.

>

> I realize that position will not be allowed (until I'm fully healed?

or

> forever?)

>

> So, just wondering.

> Thanks.

> Jeri

>