Shoes to go with splints

[Eulalia]

ds got his splints today. One goes round his foot and fits OK into his shoe. The other splint is much larger and goes round his foot and right up to his knee. It won't go into his shoe. The orthoticist said that trainers would be best. I briefly went into Woolworths to get some long socks to go under the splints and had a look at the trainers but they weren't any good and anyway ds ran away twice ....!

It looks like he will need shoes that are much bigger and possibly two different sizes for each foot. Anyone got any suggestions for suitable shoes? Something that can open out wide to get the splints in, maybe lace ups might be better or softer trainers. The ones I saw seemed to be very rigid. He also can't wear his gym shoes at nursery so am a bit of a loss for what he can wear there. Wondered if there was any specialist websites out there... don't want to spend a fortune either as it seems he will be wearing these for quite a while.

Thanks.

Eulalia, if you get cheap lace-up trainers a couple of sizes too big, they should fit over his splint, but not be overly huge on the other foot. If the difference in size is a major problem, you should be able to get split-sized shoes or boots prescribed for him.

HTH

Thanks Tissy, didn't know you could get shoes on prescription. At the moment he doesn't seem keen on wearing the splints for more than a few mins at a time but it is only the 2nd day.

velcro strapped trainers are good. mieow has 2 kids with splints and i think they wear shoes 2sizes beigger than their feet. also make sure the heel section of the shoe isnt too low as they will slip off the splints.

Hi Eulalia

Your orthotist was a bit naughty, (perhaps trying to make his budget stretch?), not prescribing some shoes for you - they're the department who supply boots and shoes on prescription, go chase them. The ones my son gets are called PIEDRO boots, and although he doesn't wear splints, I know other children who do, and these shoes are designed to be compatible with splinting and other orthotics. They are available in a wide range of width fittings, and some funky colours, but most parents opt for black so they can be used for school. They can be supplied with laces, or velcro straps, and they make a nice leather trainer version.

NB: Because each pair of boots is custom designed for the child and adaptions are often made, it often takes 3 weeks to get the boots after your appointment. Under NHS rules kids are entitled to 4 pairs or these per year if I remember rightly. I'm so thankful the NHS fund these, as they cost an eyewatering £95 +VAT per pair...and that's before the cost of any adaptation!!!!

Doesn't lou33's little boy have some Piedro boots? I'm sure I've seen some discussions on here about them. Good point, artistmum.

Not me Tamum! BUT dd1 used to wear them many years ago. Orthotics are right though, trainers are v good things like this. Piedro boots are quite restrictive and heavy. If you have any sort of insert in them, it can make it uncomfortable. Trainers are pretty supportive if you get the right fit. Physio recommends them for ds2, and dd1 was encouraged to wear them too.

Thanks everyone. The trainers don't need to be supportive as the splints themselves are very rigid, it is really just to cover them. He had the bigger one on yesterday with no covering and slipped on the lino in the kitchen. Good point about the heels misdee.

Now I need to think about what he can wear at nursery as at the moment he wears slip on plimsoles. I was thinking about some groovy slippers or maybe slipper socks with treads in them.

What about velcro plimsolls for him for nursery - most places seem to stock these nowadays.

Hi Eulalia - my dd has had an AFO splint for many years now and I know the problems you have.

It's going to cost you but try Clarks. They will do trainers at different sized but you have to pay extra.

My dd wears her splint on her right leg and her left foot is actually a little longer than her right foot (and this is quite normal with an 'affected' foot). My dd is currently wearing 'Bootleg' trainers by Clarks. When she was being measured, the width of the splint was taken into account and the trainers came in width measurements as well as shoe sizes. She is size 5 so I struggle to get velcro although I did get a pair of L A gear velcro last year from Sports Soccer. Sorry I don't know your ds's age but I am assuming he's a lot younger. Dd was 12 yesterday.

She did have Piedro boots when she was much younger but her foot continued to turn (with the ligament tissue tightening as she got older) so we 'progressed' (or regressed?) to the splint and she needed surgery (soft tissue transfer) last year.

Another idea - if you can at least get ds's feet measured by a specialist, what about a mail order catalogue buy? Sometimes I feel awkward in a shop trying to tug a new pair of trainers over the splint but if it's a mail order purchase, you can try and send back without obligation. I've done that many a time.

Just re-read your message. How keen are the people at nursery about gym shoes? I don't honestly think you'll get any to go over a splint. Obviously I don't know the nursery but I'm hoping they'll let him wear trainers even it's a concession. It's better than the AFO marking the wooden floor (if they have one) or even worse, him having an accident with the splint sliding over the floor.

dottee, thanks and sorry for being late in responding, can't seem to get near the computer these days

I think the nursery will be OK. Have already had several slipping accidents in our kitchen as I am hanging around waiting for a friend who promosed to pop round with some old trainers. i think I'll just have to bit the bullet and go and buy some. trouble is shopping is very difficult, if not impossible at hte moment as dd climbs out of her pushchair so will have to get help from someone.

dottee - did is it really going to take years ? !!

Eulalia - sorry to be negative but in my dd's case, it will probably be all her life. It all depends how the ligament tissue contracts/lengthens when the child is growing up. With my dd, the CP has caused the spasticity in the inside ligament on her right leg to pull the right foot over. She had her op. last October to try and correct this.

Up until the op., her foot had pulled over at almost 90 degrees so she was walking on the outer edge of her foot without the support of the splint. The surgeon made about four incisions in her leg and got rid of some stretched ligament from the outside and transferred some tightened ligament from the inside to the outside. It has almost pulled the foot back into position but the foot is still tending to bend over outwards without the splint to support it. We have to return to the consultant next month to see how we proceed but I was warned the day after the op. that she would probably need further surgery on her foot to strengthen her bones later on this year and she may need a splint indefinately.

Dd used to have Piedros when she was a lot younger but then had to transfer over to a splint. She did have some physio. but not as much as I would have hoped for (you know what it's like!). We did move from Rochdale to Rotherham in 2001 and the physios. here seem more on the ball (because they're linked with Sheffield Childrens Hospital). I learned last year that dd should have really been offered injections a few years ago but that never happened.

I did know a lady back in Rochdale who has CP (but has 'all her marbles' IYKWIM) and she chose to put splints on both her feet before she went out (although she did move about her house with caution without them). Maybe it gave her more confidence and support when she was out and about, although she was claiming higher rate DLA )

Sorry to be gloom and doom, but I thought it would be useful for you to be aware of our case history. If you want, I'll let you know how we get on next month and how we are proceeding. Dd is 12.

Thanks dottee. Sorry I should have explained about ds's background. He has joint hypermobility so there is a good chance that his feet will be corrected eventually. When it was first noticed at age 2 it was dismissed as flat feet and he would "grow out of it". They felt he was OK because he had no tightening and plenty of movement, could stand on tiptoes etc. However over the next two years it didn't improve and one foot is quite bad with his ankle bone almost touching the floor and thus leaning inwards. He stands very splayed too. He seems to manage to run very fast though! I am prepared for it to take years but they were reticient about saying how long. Obviously it depends on the individual.

He is autistic as you may have read from other posts so it isn't always easy to persuade him to put them on and keep them on. I hope when he starts school he will wear them so at least that is a long time period.

Sounds like a lot is being done for your dd. Yes keep us posted.

Eulalia, 3 of my four have joint hypermobility. Atm the smaller two don't need any special treatment, but dd1 has specially moulded inserts in her shoes. Her feet are as flat as ironing boards! She is the worst affected.

Hi Eulalia, just returned from DS's orthotics appt!
DS had splints that extended up to his knee, and I used to have to spend a long time in shops trying different shoes to go over them. Clarks ankle length boots were the best, as the opening starts quite close to the toe end, and the ankle is high enough to keep them on. Also have velcro front fastening. I believe Clarks will do a 25% reduction on the 2nd pair if you need two sizes, but I'm not sure how this works.

'Converse' style baseball boots might do the trick for gym shoes if you can't find trainers to go over his splints - but again, it's how low down the opening goes that seems to make the difference.

If he has night splints, get the orthotists to put non-slip soles on them because otherwise the hard plastic will cause bad skidding accidents if he gets out of bed and tries to walk in them.

DS doesn't have splints at present, he has Piedro boots, and as he has to have two different sizes, they have to use two pairs. Artistsmum's explanation of costs explains the orthotists reaction when I asked if DS could have two pairs because of DS's desire to turn amphibious every time he spots a puddle Still think that the service should allow kids to live life to their full potential, puddle-jumping included, tho'.

Sorry Eulalia - me being thick (thought your ds was CP)!

Note to MNs - I'm good at faces but terrible at names (and memory's fast fading with age)!

I'm glad ds's feet will sort themselves out eventually. I'm dreading the 2nd instalment of surgery with my dd.

It's been 'orthotist week' this week as we went to see a very nice man called Matthew at Sheffield Childrens hospital today. He has told me to fasten the tapes on the splints very tightly. I questioned this a couple of weeks ago with him because it meant the tapes would mark dd's skin but he says they have to do to work the most efficiently. When I told the staff at school, they didn't like the idea of marking the skin, but I took his word.

I must admit that since I have been tightening them, dd has walked a lot better. Other people have commented on it too. Matthew explained today that by tightening the fit, the foot is less likely to move about in the fit and therefore, is less likely to get friction sores. He's padded the splint a little more just in case and told me I can see him next Tuesday if things aren't quite right.

Aahhh! Someone helpful in the NHS!

Meant to update on this ages ago. Thanks dottee and blu. ds loves jumping in puddles also!

I finally got baseball style boots for his outdoor wear. Colourful Thomas ones, reduced at Woolworths. For nursery we also got Thomas -slippers, tight fitting high sided ones, more like little boots really. My mum got them in Oxfam for £1! So everything was very cheap.

He's been really good about wearing the splints(on holiday we didn't push it too much) and has a routine of wearing them at nursery. That is only 2.5 hours a day but once he starts school this will be much longer so hope to see some good then.

First appointment on Monday but it is early days yet.

My daughter got her first pair of splints a month ago.....it does take a while for them to get use to the feeling. Here is some of the advice I was given by the orthotics dept @ Yorkill. Hi-tec trainers are the widest and very easy to slip over the splints, they give you a free pair with your first set of splints. Also, and I have found this very helpful, take the insole out of the shoes. As it gives the toes and foot more space, Ive found by doing this that I am able to buy smaller shoes. My daughter went from being a small 4 to an 8 in just one appointment!
They dont like giving you Piedros when you have splints, as you get all the support from the splints.
Lastly, in my eagerness to get the best shoes for my daughter, I bought nice flat soled trainers that looked great and turned her toes blue!! I felt terrible, but its a big learning curve for us mums too.
Very finally, Clarks sell trainers that have lights in them, some of the boys in my daughters class who have CP, find them very motivating - when they move the lights come on......good luck and if you discover any tips pls let me know too

feel totally sick tonight. My ds' piedros are no longer 'enough' for him. So tomorrow we get the AFO, and have to do the dreadful shoe stretching thing. Is it really better not to go to Clarkes? is Woolies the best then?

To be honest am gutted it's come to this, he had dafo 12 months ago but hated them - i DREAD tomorrow.

Sorry to hear that, Mabs, thinking of you for your appointment today.

Good luck, Mabs.

Awww MABS, I really hope it goes well for him. My dd hates having the casts done too