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  • No heels?

    Is it true that you can't wear heels after surgery? For how long?? Can you wear LOW heels? I LIVE in heels since I'm extremely short. Can't imagine going flat, even if I gain an inch or two...!
    Chris
    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

  • #2
    Hi...

    You should ask your surgeon about their opinion.

    I've personally found that high heels are really bad for my back, even before I had surgery. I still occasionally (actually, very rarely) will wear heels to a black tie event, but only if I know for sure that I won't have to stand for any length of time. If I know I'll have to stand, I wear a long skirt or pants that look fine with flats.

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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    • #3
      I've never been the typical high heel type, but I have always worn somewhat chunky heeled shoes to help give me an extra inch or two. I wore only sneakers for the first 8 or so weeks post-op because I just didn't feel that my balance was good enough to wear anything with any type of heel. I then only wore chunk heels for a couple of hours a day while at work. The remainder of the time, I wore sneakers or Tevas. Depending on the amount of correction you have, you could have to essentially learn to walk all over again and heels will just not be an option until you feel secure with your walking and balance again (this was the case for me).

      I agree with Linda that you should talk with your surgeon. Honestly, the last thing on my mind post-op was how tall (or short actually) I was. I was far too concerned with healing properly and being comfortable. If your surgeon agrees that heels will not be an option for you initially following surgery, maybe you could begin wearing some flatter shoes prior to your surgery to get used to the look and feel....

      Comment


      • #4
        Yeah, I know in the scheme of things this isn't too important but it's more fun than thinking about scars and painkillers and pedicle screws......

        I've pretty much decided that I'll go to see Dr. Boachie again in September and depending on how things look with new x-rays, I'll go ahead and schedule surgery for Spring or Summer of '07.

        Yesterday in church I was talking with a 72-year-old acquaintance who also has scoliosis, mostly in the lumbar region, and she told me that in the past year she's become short of breath and is in a lot of pain. The appearance of her hip and rib-hump deformities are very similar to mine. It helped give me some resolve to try to fix the problem while I'm still relatively young.

        In the meantime I'm going to try to get big and strong -- as Boachie recommended -- by doing Pilates or some other core-building therapy. At the moment I'm a 100-pound weakling and can't imagine getting any smaller...

        Is Pilates the best activity for building strength? Or is there anything else someone has tried?
        Thanks --
        Chris
        Chris
        A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
        Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
        Post-op curve: 12 degrees
        Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

        Comment


        • #5
          I'm 9 months post op and I still have a problem wearing heels. I never thought to ask my doctor about it. I just figured when it doesn't hurt I can wear them. I first tried to wear heels when I was less than one month post op and my husband pretty much had to be my support because the pain was so bad in my back. I'm a rather short person as well. I'm only 4'11 (and 1/4) so I know how you feel about having to live in heels. I figure you can wear all the high heel shoes to your hearts content after the fusion is healed and you experience no more pain.


          Is Pilates the best activity for building strength? Or is there anything else someone has tried?

          Chris, in response to this, have you tried eliptical training or lifting light weights? Also, try and strengthen your core muscles with the pilats and also get some rubber bands from your physical therapist if possible and ask them about help in training your back muscles. I regret this now, but I wish that I had done more back strengthening exercises before I had my surgery. Also, if you have a pullup bar at home just let yourself hang from it for a few seconds at a time. This really helped relieve some of the pain I would get in my joints (when I had them) I also did quite a bit of ballet before I had my surgery to try and help myself remain as flexible as possible so I wouldn't lose too much flexibility after surgery. Best of luck! If you have any questions please ask! ~Shelley
          Last edited by itsjustme; 03-20-2006, 08:25 AM.
          25 yr old female =^_^=
          Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
          Lumbar curve 23 degrees
          surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
          Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

          Comment


          • #6
            Sorry to contradict everyone. But I understand completely. I'm not totally short (5'5 and I gained nothing with the surgery, *I'm still upset about that they promised me two inches, hmm... anyway) I live in heels! There my way to style everything up, and to just be me. I'm not exactly sure how long it will be for you, because i was walking in less than 12 hours afterwards and being yelled at the entire time. I always push myself for better or worse. I'd probably say nine months minimum though. Because walking wasn't to bad for me, but running or jogging or long walks killed me. Its hard to remember (5 yrs post-op now) but i think it was about 8 or 9 months before i really started to wear heels. I wear them every other day now. They have never given me any problems except blisters on my feet now and than. lol, go for it. I say. -Ali

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks for the replies!
              Chris
              A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
              Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
              Post-op curve: 12 degrees
              Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

              Comment


              • #8
                I should have added that once I returned to work full-time, it was Summer, so I wore sandals with either a flat sole or a slight 1/2 inch sole. As Fall rolled around, I went back to wearing my chunk heeled shoes which give me an additional 2 inches of height. This was 7-8 months post-op as I really didn't have much of a need to wear anything else during the Summer months.

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                • #9
                  I was never told I shouldn't wear heels, but I generally wear flats, since I am already 6 feet tall. I didn't wear heels for the first 2.5 months after surgery, even though I was back to work at 6 weeks,just because I was still very careful when I walked, and very afraid of falling. (Especially on wet floors, a consequence of living in snowy climate.) I wear heels more often now, as I have become more stable in my walking, and the weather has improved. I stick with the if it hurts, don't do it thopugh, although heels have never made my back hurt. They do make my feet hurt though, but my grandma taught me, it hurts to be beautiful. (Like when she would french braid my hair and I'd cry.)
                  Meg is Spinewhine
                  31 years old with thoracic curve
                  Wore Boston brace as teenager, but curve continued to progress.
                  Surgery on 12/13/2005 with correction from over 55 degrees to under 25 degrees. (Ya baby!)

                  The nitty gritty at:
                  http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    You BET it hurts to be beautiful!

                    It's like I always say: if you can't be beautiful, be interesting. And if you can't be interesting, be blonde (that would explain my high hair-salon bills)!!
                    Chris
                    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
                    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
                    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
                    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

                    Comment

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