I have hemiplegia following my abi and I have recently started wearing an AFO, I’ve made massive gains with my mobility since wearing the AFO, but I am really trying to find footwear to fit my foot with my afo in place, I have started to develop a wound on my left bunion I think due to poorly fitting shoes I have tried around 7 different types/makes of shoes up to now & I am really struggling if anyone can offer advice or type/brand of shoe, I have tried all the usual tips from my orthotics by sizing up and removing the insole to create more space.
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Charlie90
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I'm sure there are self moulding shoes about. Just had a quick search on google, only found insoles and cycling shoes that self mould but I'm sure I have seen these before. I used to wear neoprene zip up boots for sailing, these are soft and fit to the shape of the foot rather than the otherway around. Some manufacturer may just make you a pair if you can find one and contact them.
Please tell me if U have luck with shoes,etc.Ive had a KFO,N one up to top of thigh for 26 years.Ive tryed everything u have.Bearpaw boots (ugg copy) with lug bottoms r great n fit.Just wish it was winter yeararound,lol
New Balance sneakers work with insole out n mesh sides.
I don't know if you have tried sketcher, I don't know if these are appropriate. But they seem to cover a fair number of styles.
But you need to have the wound treated and healed before attempting to find new shoes.
This might seem a little extreme, but have you enquired about getting your bunion surgically treated. I have heard that it is not the most pleasant of procedures, but it might, in the long run, the best option?
Thank you for your reply, I actually had surgery on my right bunion when I was 15 (now 30, this didn’t make difference to the bunion at all, you are correct it is very unpleasant. Skechers are the shoes I am going to try next so thank you so fingers crossed, I am not sure who to actually go to to have sound treated podiatrist or practice nurse, plus I cannot wear the splint without a shoe, and I cannot safely stand without the splint so I am essentially stuck in between a rock and a hard place as they say.
I'd start with the practice nurse, or the district nurse, they will probably be quicker. But 30yrs on it might be worth revisiting surgery? Surgery has moved on over the years.
First things first, you need to get the wound fully healed before trying any news shoes, or they will always be uncomfortable whatever you try.
Ha ha yes us nurses are definitely the worst patients, I always think I know best.Do you mind me asking have you returned to nursing post brain injury?
Hi, sadly it wasn't possible, I was retired on tier 2 ill health. I wasn't happy, but even I couldn't argue against that. I couldn't continue teaching, and I couldn't return to the wards.
When I had my brain hiccup, I did think, a couple of weeks and I would be back up and running, then I thought, ok a couple of months.
At three months my recovery (I can't think of the word), well in effect my recovery stopped dead, if anything I went backwards a bit. No rhyme or reason, the neuro boffs couldn't explain. Some skills returned, but others were just gone into thin air.
I can still drive, but I can't say my last name to save my life, there are a lot of words that present interesting outcomes, but I have got good at avoiding most. I can't read a book, but I can read a scientific report.
The brain is a marvelous computer, but my core processor is a bit wonky.
Just over ten years of ground hog day 😂
Have you, or are you planning on returning to work?
I’m currently on a career break, to review in September tbh, I think I may have a similar outcome As you, I think my main issues would be physically Doing the job at the moment and also the decision makingMaybe there is something else out there for me who knows?!
I can’t see how I would go into a work place I feel like working from home would be my best option to manage severe fatigue etc.
September is a long time away so I will just see what happens at the time,
Do you wish to return to a work place in some capacity?
Hi. It is very difficult, and thing we never had to consider become important, and that when our brain is on strike.
There are many roles in nursing. I just worked in a niche area. Talk to your union rep, they are invaluable in giving advice, also Oc health, they won't sugar coat anything. Discuss reasonable adjustments. Extra breaks, sitting, short shifts, avoiding shifts that would be detrimental to your health.
I was a violence reduction lead, so I could teach the skills needed, I couldn't talk clearly, and going back to the wards would have left me vulnerable and increased risk to others. I got tier 2, because the Oc health report was clear that I could not work in the NHS, or in another type of employment. That is the important bit, other type of employment.
Tier 2 is quite restrictive. I had to withdraw my application to become a vaccinator because of this.
When you say you are on a career break, does this mean you have taken leave of absence?
You should take your sick leave entitlement. This means your pension is paid. You should be on full pay for six months, then it drops to half pay for three months then quarter pay to the end of the year when it drops to zero. When your pay drops at the six month point, then you can claim Employment Support Allowance (ESA). ESA ensures that your national insurance is paid, and as your pay drops it increases.
If you are retired, continue to claim ESA, although as your pension increases, the ESA then starts to reduce, but even when it gets to zero, it continues to pay your national insurance.
It might be worth checking personal independence payment (PIP), this is not easy, so be prepared for a battle.
Also if you are retired, it is worth applying for council tax exemption. You get this if, their words, not mine, severely mentally impared. Don't worry about the definition, you get a form from the council that your GP either endorses or doesn't, if they do, it will be back dated to when you first became unwell.
I would recommend you contact Headway for support and advice: headway.org.uk , 0808 8800 2244. They are great.
I got sick pay for the full amount of time then they offered me a career break for 1 year to focus on my recoveryUnion where great and supported me throughout the process.
I am fully open to options as my priority is now my health & well being but I also need to afford to live so need to try to get the balance right thanks so much for all the advice I will keep you posted I’m also starting to see a vocational OT in April in preparation to return to work
Just wanted to update on bunion gate, I focused on getting the wound healed first it is now scabbed over I stopped wearing my AFO, and wore a light splint (aircast for several weeks on agreement with my physio I struggled a little but it’s sctually helped my mobility improve by removing the AFO that was causing the pressure from the equation has helped the area to heal. I also went to see a private orthotist locally who could offer me more options and I go back to see them next week to hopefully decide on a new AFOthank you to everyone who helped me with this dilemma seems like such a small issue but it was causing me big problems. I was a nurse in my past life so I new what needed to be done I was just mortified at having a pressure ulcer and did not want to live without my AFO, as thought it would be to difficult getting around.this has helped me to become much less reliant on it as eventually my goal is to walk without an AFO!
So yes I just wanted to update thank you everyone xx
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