In my last post, I mentioned that though the AFO brace helps with ankle pain, it does not eliminate it entirely. In fact, the pain is still fairly significant. I feel more stable in the AFO brace, but the pain is hard to ignore. I will see my ankle surgeon in Boston in the beginning of February and he will evaluate it to see whether or not another surgery makes sense. I will update after that appointment with any decisions that are made.
When I first received my customized AFO brace I did not realize that finding fashionable boots that fit over it would be such a frustrating challenge. AFO braces are commonly worn by children and there are shoe companies that make shoes for AFO braces, but they are sneakers. I am 23 years old and when I am going out to dinner with friends and family, I want to dress like a 23 year old. I don't want to rely on moccasins, sneakers and slippers. Fortunately, I have 2 knee-high boots that I have managed to fit my AFO in, and 2 ankle-high boots that fit as well. It is SO exciting when I find a cute pair of boots that fit over this brace. What I have found that works is faux-seude slouchy boots that have a zipper down the side. This helps me guide the brace into the boot.
I recently ordered a new pair of crutches, the smartCrutch. My hope is that these will be my go-to crutches whenever I may need them. I have had 3 shoulder surgeries for dislocations and I want to protect them as best as possible. My left ulna dislocates on standard crutches, a problem that was corrected surgically for my right wrist, and this limits my mobility post-operatively. My elbows also lock up and slip when using standard crutches. The smartCrutch is a modified forearm crutch that has received great feedback from the EDS community. Many testimonials from EDSers have claimed that they are a "life saver." These testimonials come from numerous retailers and not just the smartCrutch website. The homepage of smartCrutch even says "smartCrutch supports EDS sufferers"…how cool is that? EDS hardly ever gets recognition.
The idea of the smartCrutch is to take pressure off the shoulder, elbows and wrists, by providing a greater surface area and a larger range of . This is something that is an issue with standard crutches and long-term use can lead to carpal tunnel, and instability, particularly for those with EDS. Here is the company's comparison (click here).
I will provide a review after I have received the crutches and have given them the appropriate trial run. The company allows me 2 weeks to determine if they will work for me and if not I get a full refund.
When I first received my customized AFO brace I did not realize that finding fashionable boots that fit over it would be such a frustrating challenge. AFO braces are commonly worn by children and there are shoe companies that make shoes for AFO braces, but they are sneakers. I am 23 years old and when I am going out to dinner with friends and family, I want to dress like a 23 year old. I don't want to rely on moccasins, sneakers and slippers. Fortunately, I have 2 knee-high boots that I have managed to fit my AFO in, and 2 ankle-high boots that fit as well. It is SO exciting when I find a cute pair of boots that fit over this brace. What I have found that works is faux-seude slouchy boots that have a zipper down the side. This helps me guide the brace into the boot.
I recently ordered a new pair of crutches, the smartCrutch. My hope is that these will be my go-to crutches whenever I may need them. I have had 3 shoulder surgeries for dislocations and I want to protect them as best as possible. My left ulna dislocates on standard crutches, a problem that was corrected surgically for my right wrist, and this limits my mobility post-operatively. My elbows also lock up and slip when using standard crutches. The smartCrutch is a modified forearm crutch that has received great feedback from the EDS community. Many testimonials from EDSers have claimed that they are a "life saver." These testimonials come from numerous retailers and not just the smartCrutch website. The homepage of smartCrutch even says "smartCrutch supports EDS sufferers"…how cool is that? EDS hardly ever gets recognition.
The idea of the smartCrutch is to take pressure off the shoulder, elbows and wrists, by providing a greater surface area and a larger range of . This is something that is an issue with standard crutches and long-term use can lead to carpal tunnel, and instability, particularly for those with EDS. Here is the company's comparison (click here).
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| smartCrutch |
I am looking forward to going to the Bruins game in Philly next weekend with my dad and a game in Boston in a few weeks with my brother.
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