Fall is here and i can't wear socks or shoes. Any advice?
 

Hi everyone, just wondering about the cold weather on the way and what to do about my feet? Socks and shoes send me into outerspace with pain. Does anyone have any ideas or tricks that they find helpful to deal with RSD foot pain? Thanks everyone!:)

Hi Karen,

The first thing I had to do when I developed CRPS in my foot was to get bigger shoes. Not only a little "longer" so toes weren't pinched, but also "wider" so there is not as much pressure on the sides as well. Have you experimented with this yet? Also be sure you purchase good quality footwear. I am most comfortable in New Balance 883 running shoes. They have a mesh on the top and sides rather than solid leather and that mesh allows some "give" between your foot and your shoe all the way around.

I can't help you much for socks, as I can wear regular socks. But I'm wondering if the socks they sell for diabetics (loose) might be something to consider.

They're not beautiful, but on days when I've had a rough time the last two years and it was chilly out, I would wear Crocs Mammoths without socks. I had another pair that I accidentally messed up so I saved the button-in liners and I just wash & exchange them. They'll wash up well as long as you hang dry them.

I also wore my daughter's Uggs boots. They were nice & comfy on the inside and not tight or anything.

Thanks PepperM.! I understand about your Crocs, that's all I wear. But my PM doc wants me to slowly start to wear shoes and socks. So today I wore sock for a 1/2 hour. I gotta start somewhere.:) thanks for your advice! :hug: Karen

men's cashmere socks?

cashmere is definately the easiest fabric on my skin. (hubby can't complain about expensive socks, right? ;) )

i'm also a fan of chenille socks. i'll mail you a pair of those if you ask nicely.

and:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/barefoot-alternatives/

Karen,
I was just thinking that this morning. Now that Fall has arrived the colder climate is in the air around here. So much not looking forward to Winter.
Socks and shoes don't bother me yet but my RSD has started in my left foot so it could go either way. I know my wrist and arm can't handle the cold. Just the little drop in temp now is painful.
I can relate to socks not being good for you because I tried a glove on my hand last year and forget that!
I wear a down filled water proof L.L. Bean coat and just keep my left hand in the pocket.
That got me thinking that maybe for you an over sized ugg type of boot should be worth trying. It would be water proof and therefor keep cold air off and the soft fur lining just might not hurt...

It has been a lot of trial and error for me to figure out what I can wear. Essentially I have one pair of gym shoes where all the padding in the top has worn away (from the various braces/air casts they had me wearing after I was first injured before the RSD diagnosis). I keep telling myself I will take a new pair to a shoe repair place and see if they can take the padding out along the top and see if that works, but I haven't yet. I just went through my closet last week and have away 45 pairs of shoes that I cannot wear, keeping just a couple for the day when I do decide to take them to a shoe repair place. That was sort of depressing but I hope that someone can use them because I never will be able to. Otherwise, besides my broken down gym shoes, I have been using slippers with rubber soles or shoes with open tops (like ballet flats) so that there is limited touching my foot.

As for socks, it always hurts to wear them but because I am SO sensitive to cool/cold air and even the smallest breeze the burning pain from the sock touching me in the lesser of the two evils. It took some time to get used to it and I try to wear socks that are loose (slipper socks sometimes work).

It sounds like you are on the right track with trying for a little bit at a time to get used to the sensation...but trying some of the things that others have mentioned may help make that a little easier. There are some good ideas that I need to check out I think. Good luck.

I have starting wearin UGGH boots with or without socks when I have to go out. I purchased them 1 size bigger than I normally wear. Expensive but worth it.
Also I wear chenille socks around the house - just cheapies from Walgreens - very soft & comforting.

Dear L.L., killin' me softly sister. Cashmere all the way.;)

Hi Alisha, I keep getting posts about UGGH (sp?) boots... where can I get some and are there different types? What style feels best? Thanks !!:)

Karen,
Here's one place http://www.zappos.com/uggs

Sorry the spelling is ugg. I got mine at Nordstroms. They are the basic tall ones that come just below the knee.

***

karen,

I have crocs that are 2 big. they dont touch the top or the side. I also have the insulated ones that are one size 2 big. I have a low pair of uggs as well. I have only worn them once, but they are nice and soft on the inside.

Socks are tricky. Somedays I can wear them for awhile, other times I find a stretched out pair. I definetly like the idea of cashmere. :)But anything under 90 decrees or so, I find I need to put something on my feet while I am up. If my feet are up in the recliner I am ok.

How are you doing with blankets and such? I got a bed cradle in February so I could sleep a little bit with my husband.

Ohhhhhh...... blankets. Eek! I can't have anything touch my feet when I am trying to sleep. But I am going to get a pair of UGGS for winter time. Thanks for all the helpful tips everybody.:Thanx: Karen

Desensitization is worth it
 

Hi Karen,

You may want to start working on a desensitizing program, it is tough when it gets cold and your hands and feet can 't tolerate anything on them. Try to keep some some soft socks and gloves on every day for increasingly long periods of time. and run your hands and feet through bowls of textures like cereal, rice, etc.

I love Crocs and Uggs. crocs are available at Amazon and some retail stores (****'s has some) check online. The woolly Monmouth type run small, so if you order those without trying them on definitely go up at least one size. Uggs are sold at Nordstrom and run about $200, but there are a lot of cheaper imitations available now, too. Uggs are AWEOME!! I live in the Northeast and couldn't survive my long walks early in the morning in the winter without them.

Good luck, Sandy

Hi Sandy, thanks for the info! My PM doc has me doing desensitizing things through out the day. I wore a pair of footies for 1/2 an hour yesterday!! Then I put on a pair of tennis shoes for about 10 minutes. Baby steps. They just opened a Nordstrom in Tennessee and I am going to get a pair of UGGS sometime soon. Thanks again for all of your wonderful advice. I think I will put my feet in a bowl of rice krispies tomorrow, they seem like they might be soft. *hugs* Karen

Karen,
Try using a bowl of rice for desensitizing. That's what my PT has me use and it seems to work. In her office I put my hand in a fluido tank filled with
warmed grounded corn husks and agitated. I love that. I wonder if that could be done for your foot?
Well, I just wanted to chime in with the rice idea...

Been battling this for over a decade
 

Because my foot (use to be feet) is just one big club attached to my ankle I've been battling this problem for over a decade. First solution was to find the largest bootie type sock that only goes to the ankle but that has lots of stretch. Diabetic socks are another solution, but only if you can find the largest size. As far as a shoe, the only thing I can wear is a soft clog type shoe in size 14 which is getting harder and harder to find. I use to find them on Land's End but now they're only offered to size 13 so they're not big enough. There are these nasty diabetic like bootie things that look awful and I doubt if a person who walks would do very well with them. Since I'm in a wheelchair full time I'm only looking for something to cover up my foot without looking like a complete moron. At home, I simply don't wear anything due to the swelling.

Hard to believe we can't fit in a sock or shoe yet that's our daily walk/roll. I've stopped being bothered by people staring at me in public when I have on a slipper type shoe that always appears weird. I did purchase a huge pair of sandals once with Velcro straps on top but these cut into my foot just as bad even though the idea looked right at the time.

A real problem, but I'm sorry there's no easy solution. Best of luck. Bob.