Re: Has anybody tried a cast? Did it help?
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Posted by ken on March 30, 1998 at 17:43:05:
In Reply to: Has anybody tried a cast? Did it help? posted by Scott @ heelspurs.com on March 29, 1998 at 18:10:40:
I've got the problem in both of my feet, but I'm currently trying a cast on my left leg only. I have a really big incentive to try to make this work, as it's just about my last step before surgery. I'm on day 19, going for a total of 28 before I start to slowly wean myself out of it. It's a removable type, so I can take it off to massage, stretch, and ice as necessary. I think this is a benefit of the removable type over the permanent, as long as the person still wears it all of the time. Folks that aren't motivated to keep it on are better off in the real thing. I take it off in order to shower, and I put a folding plastic chair in the shower so I don't have to stand. The doctor gave me a foam wedge to put under my foot for sleeping so I can turn it into a night splint. Things are feeling much better, but I haven't really tested it yet, I'm keeping as much weight off it as I can right now. I'm not standing for more than 30 seconds at a time unless I've got the crutches with me. I won't know for sure until I go back to normal shoes. The foot that isn't in the cast is doing ok, but going slightly downhill because I'm putting extra weight on it. However, the cast is a really good reminder to take it easy in general and not do any walking that isn't totally necessary, and then only with crutches. If I know I'm going to be in a situation where standing would normally be necessary for a long period of time, I rent a wheelchair from the local orthopedic supply store for $2.50 a day. Once I get my left foot back in order, I'm going to switch the cast to my right and hope the left one stays well. The son of one of my co-workers tried a real cast for 6 weeks, but went back downhill again a couple of weeks after it came off. He did essentially no rehabilitation work on it and started immediately back into normal full blown activities, which might have been his downfall.
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