Orthotic Insoles

[dawn barlow]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply, i'm glad it's not just me ranting on about the wait for insoles. I did ask them in June if we could just come in to pick up a new pair as it doesn't take very long but they said no your back on the waiting list. I've never actually known a hospital to put you back on a waiting list for follow up appointments with the same person.

Dawn

[earthmother]

It is daft isn't it.

It's like my husband's wheelchair - they're on a 48 week list at Disablement Services, plus the time it takes to actually get it delivered afterwards - over a year to get a wheelchair reassesed - madness

[dawn barlow]

Hi Earthmother, i did PM you earlier not sure if it went through though. If you need any contact numbers or names of doctors that we have seen let me know and i will pass them on to you, as you use the same hospital it may be useful.

Dawn

[earthmother]

Dawn - I've not had any PMs as yet, but those contacts would be appreciated, thank you - I have a feeling they're going to get used a lot over the coming years

[Jenny]

I'm starting to feel bad because I saw Orthotics fairly quickly. I was referred back to my local hospital who I orgionally saw but they said they had taken me off their lists and had closed the provision down. So my physio quickly wrote to the orthotics department where she is based and I went over after a physio appointment to see how things were moving on (been about 4 weeks). I told them when I was nextcoming for physio and that it would be great if they could tie it in, which they did! Got my insoles on the day, none of this casting buisiness, and just going back for a check up in three months!

There are some positive stories.

[dawn barlow]

Hi Jenny,
I am glad that you are being seen quick, it is good to know there are some positive stories.

Dawn

[morgankingfisher]

My 19yr old daughter saw podiatry last week and she was told that they are increasingly finding that hypermobile people have high arches, they thought that most would have quite low arches, but this seems not to be the case. With this in mind she said that insoles do not help and just make things worse and cause more pain.
She is due to see orthotics on 27th with a view to a shoulder brace now as her shoulder keeps dislocating at night when she is in bed. She is having a bad time at the moment, with hip and back pain, had to resort to the wheelchair this week!

[dawn barlow]

Jordan had his appointment on Thursday and they are now making him some insoles that are made specifically for his feet, said these should give him more support and got to go back in 2 weeks to collect them. Hopefully these will help him again.

Thanks for all your replies.

Dawn

[sanguine_emma]

Hello all. If you've been browsing the boards recently you're sure to have picked up on the fact I've had a few problems with my orthotics. My rheumatologist in Oxford referred me to have casts taken and insoles made for me. The insoles themselves are excellent, and correct my excessive pronation very well. I broke them in quite cautiously as was recommended by the orthotist, but I had some pain in my foot. I was told this was to be expected and would sort itself out. Unfortunately, it didn't and my foot broke . The problem was then compounded by the fact no-one would believe I could have damaged myself this badly whilst out for a sunday stroll. In the end I was hobbling around on a broken foot for four weeks before A&E reviewed their x-rays and found the fracture and called me back in to be splinted and signed off. I'm now fixed and walking again, and I've gone back to wearing the orthotics. I'm posting here to warn people to look out for a few things when using new orthotics. As my arch is exceedingly pronounced, the arch support is quite high. This means that if I try to walk my normal flat footed duck-like way, I get jabbed in the arch. There is also a wedge under the heel of the insole that tips my feet outwards to stop me rolling my foot in. This means that after 29 years of my feet sticking out at 45 degrees, I had to start walking with my toes facing forwards. This instantly helped my knees, but it also meant that I was transferring weight through my 3rd metatarsal instead of my first one. My third metatarsal was simply not up to the job, and broke. My advice is to treat new orthotic insoles with caution, particularly if they radically change the way you walk. If you get bad pain (we're talking walking-on-shards-of-glass pain here), don't let anyone tell you there's nothing wrong, and don't just carry on walking like a pig-headed idiot . And if anyone says that there's no way having new orthotics can result in a broken foot, would you mind giving them a slap for me?

Despite all this, I still love my orthotics (actually, I really struggle without them) and my knee is very grateful for them, so don't be discouraged

Emma

[nonyanomemory]

Thank you for your informative post Emma - a very wise word of warning - do persevere but be sure also that the orthotic is suitable for the hypermobile particularly those with severe hms. The harder type of orthotics apparently are renowned for causing problems and Professor G postively stamped his foot at the story of my daughter's difficulties with them. Her physio said it was common to have difficulties and to definately 'go back' at the earliest opportunity if one is having the problems that emma describes so well.

Persevere yes, but don't be a martyr!

Am not feeling I am being particularly eloquent at present so bear with me peeps - my brain appears to have lost the ability to get my thoughts across coherently!

nonya

[earthmother]

Just a quick update on a couple of things from this thread.


Would you believe, Leicester is now a 9 months wait!

Saw Mrs Kershaw the other week for no.2 sons' initial assessment, and she put him on the list there and then as it's such a wait now.


Also, I was at a shoe shop in Rugby the same week getting new Piedro boots for no.2 (only place I can find them locally, and only boots that offer the support needed), and it just so happened the chap who owns Piedro (or at least will own by the end of the year - don't quite understand the process but anyway) was there. He does insoles privately - based in Leicestershire too - and he quoted something like £150 a set And apparently he's significantly cheaper than anyone else


Looks like we need to do some saving - with two confirmed as needing them, and a third looking very likely.

[sarahh]

Hi when I had my orthotic made I know there was a 9 month wait as they said to me that they did the whole lot for kent and one person was off sick, so it took ages and now with my orthotics I tip over the edge and they didn't put the raise they were suppost to one one of them.

[dawn barlow]

Hi,
We were also told that there is a nine month wait in Leicester. The man we saw in Orthotics told us he needs to see Jordan again in 12 months to check his insoles so i am going to ring up and book in January this time might just get his yearly check up in time then.

Dawn

[hannah]

Just a random bit of orthotics advice given me by Dr H.

I am getting orthotics made by my oxford Rheumy, and Dr H. told me that if they cause problems to other joints e.g. knees, hips, back etc. to put them to one side until I start having phyiso at UCH, to ensure that my muscles and joints can cope with the changes in gait etc. he said "the last thing I want is for you to come in here in 6 months time because you've injured something new with orthotics" (I immediately thought of you Emma )

I had never heard it implied that orthotics should be combined with physio, so thought I would pass it on.

[hannah]

I got my orthotics about a week ago and have a question.

My left foot (which I think is slightly less bendy) feels OK with them.

My right side insole makes me feel like I walk more skew. I mean when walking I transfer my weight from heel to the big toe side of the ball of my foot, not straight down the foot. and when I relax and walk I am more likely to point the toes outwards than I was before, Also my right knee feels like tipping inwards more and I feel like I walk more 'clumpily' than before.

I should also note that I still sruggle keeping myself upright when tired/concentrating on 2 things at once which could be responsible for some of the altered walking? If I walk more than about 10 metres I start swaying like a reed in the wind every few steps (thankfully little bro was there to grab hold of )

So I guess my question is: Is this likely to be orthotic related? If so, Is this just my body adjusting or is it something that needs to be looked at? if so by whom? or should I just stop wearing them until my next rheumy appointment (august) or wait until I get my physio referal from UCH?

Any suggestions gratefully recieved
Hannah