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  • Shoes

    I've known the importance of good shoes for many years. I used to be on my feet a lot so I tried on a lot of shoes before buying to make sure they had the very best support. At this time post-op, I'm still home-bound and can't get out to try on shoes. It's hard enough just putting on one pair, let alone trying many. So I'm hoping to buy a pair online.

    The shoes that have given me greatest relief in the past were a really old pair of Nikes sneakers and a pair of MBT sneakers. I could wear those all day and my back felt fairly good. But my sneakers finally fell apart and the MBT's seem too rigid now. I need a pair of shoes that are super bouncy, since my spine has zero shock absorption from the fusion. The past three days I decided to wear just slippers around the house instead of putting on the MBT's. Already I seem to have less pain in my pelvis because the slippers are thick and I can bend my foot easily.

    What shoes do you like best? Have you noticed a difference in your shoes after surgery?
    1973 Age 15 diagnosed with scoliosis but told too old for surgery.
    2001 age 43 told too old for surgery, did physical therapy & traction.
    2001 to 2008 Intermittent use of home traction machine and TENS unit.
    2009 traction no longer effective - physical therapy.
    2011 More physical therapy. 2012 Collapsing scoliosis - MRI before surgery
    At age 53, surgery on October 2nd, 2012 with Dr Hey
    Fusion with titanium rods and bolts from T1 to pelvis.
    Post op x-ray

  • #2
    Sneakers are great because you can get them tied just right, remove easily(kick off) without bending, and install with a long shoe horn. This and any open backed shoe are best. Soft is a good thing.

    A long 18” shoe horn is a very handy item for full fusion patients.

    You can go to a shoe store and have the people that work there put them on for you. If it feels good, have them put the other one on, tell them about your back, they will understand.

    Talk to Dr Hey at some point about when he thinks you should start reaching for your feet. I was around 8 months, and it was a SLOW process.....slow EASY stretches on a stool, one foot up, hanging the arms down.

    You can also get to your feet by squatting.....squatting seems to be the best method of getting down to the floor, if it’s an example of the best way to do this, we become examples to everyone else. We become the people that get complimented on such “perfect posture”.....(with no choice in the matter)

    Julia, It sounds like you are doing well.....

    Ed
    49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
    Pre surgery curves T70,L70
    ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
    Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

    Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

    My x-rays
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

    Comment


    • #3
      hi Julia
      just for at home, you might want to look into Foot-eez sandals...
      they have a website...and you can buy them thru Zappo's, too
      i use them for home and summer, as i have really bad feet/toes...
      (surgeries on them and such)...
      they are made specifically for people with diabetes, but they
      are comfortable for anyone...

      hope you feel better every day...
      jess...& Sparky

      Comment


      • #4
        Shoes

        I found that skeatchers makes a shoe{sneaker} that has expanding laces. It is so easy to get it on and does a great job at the support issue. Prices are good too! Even after a few years---if I were tied shoes, the bow is on the side and not the middle of the shoe. If the laces are long---the side bow leads to stepping on it and causes you to untie it. And then to have to retie it. Since that is hard to do to begin with---that retieing gets old FAST! For me it is the skeatchers or slip on slippers.
        T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
        C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
        T2--T10 fusion 2/11
        C 4-5 fusion 11/14
        Right scapulectomy 6/15
        Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
        To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
        Broken neck 9/28/2018
        Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
        Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
        Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
        Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
        Osteotomy

        Comment


        • #5
          I went to Dick's at about four months post-op and said "Give me the most supportive tennis shoes you have; I don't care what the price is." They gave me a pair of gel-cushioned Asics. They are good, but I think any kind of tennis shoes with thick support would work. And, yes, I made them put them on and off me. Reminded me of going to the shoe store when I was a kid. You probably could buy some online if you know your size. I might buy a half size up so you can wear nice, thick socks, too.

          I also recommend the elastic shoe laces. I ordered 3-4 pairs online and put them in all my lace-up shoes. Then you don't have to bend at all. You can just slide your foot in with a shoe horn and forget about tying. I have them to my 10-year-old, too, since he never ties his shoes.

          Best,
          Evelyn
          age 48
          80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
          Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
          Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
          Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
          Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

          Comment


          • #6
            W

            I wore Sketchers that don't have shoe strings around the house for my walking laps because I could easily put them on using a long shoe horn. When I started walking longer distances outside, I bought a good pair of Asics and had my husband tie them for me for several months. They have a good support and are really light weight. I just noticed last week that my husband's podiatrist wears Asics, too, and I figure he would know what's good.
            Karen

            Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
            Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
            70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
            Rib Hump-GONE!
            Age-60 at the time of surgery
            Now 66
            Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
            Retired Kdgn. Teacher

            See photobucket link for:
            Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
            Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
            tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
            http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

            Comment


            • #7
              Question about Asia's

              I am just seven weeks postoperative and plan to get a new pair of sneakers once I have more strength to get and shop. Are Asics a walking or running sneaker?

              Comment


              • #8
                Speaking of Shoelaces

                I purchased these elastic shoelaces with locks and really like them. The lock guarantees that shoelaces won't untie plus they have them in many different colors.

                http://www.amazon.com/LACES-Elastic-...tic+shoe+laces
                I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
                45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
                A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

                Comment


                • #9
                  Shoes

                  How do you get the tennis shoes on with elastic shoelaces without the thong getting pushed down?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Tongue of shoe

                    I put my foot up on one step and grab the tongue of my tennis shoes with long nose pliers in one hand and with the long shoe horn in the other slide my foot in.
                    Jane

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      tongue of shoe

                      I also have elastic laces in my sneakers. not sure I can explain what my occupational therapist did, but I'll try. She redid the end of the laces so they are individually tied with knots on the outside of each eye. Also one of the lace ends first goes underneath the tongue. For whatever reason, this works great on one sneaker, but not so great on the other. I also have to pull the tongue out of the sneaker when it doesn't work properly.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        The Sketchers that I have have kind or a fake tongue. It is not loose. There are no shoestrings and the opening of the shoe just stretches to allow you to put your foot in. They were fine for my indoor laps, but I wore the Asics and had my husband tie them for longer walks outside or at the Y.
                        Karen

                        Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
                        Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
                        70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
                        Rib Hump-GONE!
                        Age-60 at the time of surgery
                        Now 66
                        Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
                        Retired Kdgn. Teacher

                        See photobucket link for:
                        Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
                        Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
                        tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
                        http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I haven't had surgery (it's my daughter who has scoliosis), but I have had foot problems most of my life and find it hard to find shoes that work for me. I usually wear orthotics, but the one shoe I can wear without orthotics are the Merrill Encore shoes. They are styled somewhat like a clog except that they aren't open in the back. (My lower legs and arches get fatigued if the shoe is open in the back and I have to"grip" when walking. However, they are lower in the back than your traditional shoe....thus they provide stability but are very easy to kick off and step into. They have a thick rubber sole for shock absorption. They have lightweight warm weather versions which i haven't worn. I have a black suede like shoe. On the inside it has a thick lining similar to Uggs which provides more comfort.

                          Obviously they aren't going to fit as tight as a sneaker that is laced tight, but they are the best "non sneaker" alternative out there that I have found in terms of comfor and support. I'm assuming the warm weather ones don't have a fleecey lining...so not sure if as comfortable (but you could always put a gel insert in also). When I first tried them on I didn't like them, but later I realized because I needed a size larger than I usually wear (because the shoe was a bit small, the arch support was falling in the wrong place)

                          There are places that ship free (including returns) so you can order a few styles and sizes of shoes and keep only what you want. here's an example of the shoe: http://www.shoes.com/Shopping/produc...FYtU4AodfQMAPg
                          daughter, 12, diagnosed 8/07 with 19T/13L
                          -Braced in spinecor 10/07 - 8/12 with excellent in brace correction and stable/slightly decreased out of brace curves.
                          -Introduced Providence brace as adjunct at night in 11/2011 in anticipation of growth spurt. Curves still stable.
                          -Currently in Boston Brace. Growth spurt is here and curves (and rotation) have increased to 23T/17L

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            needle nose pliers

                            The needle nose pliers worked good. Can now put on my own tennis shoes.

                            Comment

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