Does anyone use a cane

    • Anonymous
      March 7, 2008 at 6:54 pm

      Hey everyone….does anyone here use a cane when out and about. Since i have full blown footdrop on my feet i have to raise my legs so i won’t trip and fall when i’m at the grocery store etc…. I sometines feel i should use a cane as i need to lean against a wall or somethine as soon as i stop walking or i’d tip over like the tall tree in the forest when they yell timber….lol…. Should i go buy one. I think the AFO’s are very expensive correct?

      Thanks for any thoughts.
      eric……

    • Anonymous
      March 7, 2008 at 8:05 pm

      Hi
      I use a cane but do not have foot drop. My left side is my weak side and I use it when out and about. Met someone at the YMCA who has GBS and foot drop and uses a brace. Next time I see her I’ll ask on the cost. Maybe it would be covered by insurance?
      Wishing you well!

    • Anonymous
      March 7, 2008 at 9:30 pm

      Hi,

      I use a cane as needed, my right side is my weaker side. I work in a school and it can get crowded in the halls. I also use it in crowded places and when I do alot of walking. My cane was covered by insurance except for $ 7.25. I don’t have foot drop but have tingling in my feet, especially in the evenings.

      Colleen
      GBS 09/07

    • Anonymous
      March 7, 2008 at 10:09 pm

      Hi Eric,

      Get the cane and you will feel more secure. I use one now so I don’t furniture walk and it was the best thing I did to conserve energy. Once you don’t need it, you can use it as a plant stand:)

    • Anonymous
      March 7, 2008 at 11:30 pm

      i use a cane as well, but that was ‘graduation’ from a walker. I found out that high top basketball type tennies work great for foot drop. Of course if you have to wear dress shoes for work or what not, a plastic brace will work just as well.

    • Anonymous
      March 7, 2008 at 11:48 pm

      I have foot drop and use either AFOs or high top lace boots. I also use a cane. Besides helping with balence I found that it helps keep the students in line.

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 12:35 am

      Hi, i use AFOs and also a cane or walker now for bilateral footdrop. I started just with a cane and it helped, especially with balance like you have, but it is really tiring to walk lifting your feet high all the time. the AFOs help to keep you from tripping on your toes and to use less energy to walk. The walker helps a lot for stability and also if I have to carry things at work since strength all over is affected. The walker I have I got on the internet for half price of what the pharmacy had and a much better model. It has a seat, so that I can sit down and rest periodically.

      Insurance should pay for these. If you needed to buy them on your own, I have seen canes at a pharmacy for about $20. They do not look as medical-issue as those gotten from PT, but seem sturdy and are likely a lot less expensive. I started on AFO with an “off the shelf” AFO, which basically is premade plastic. These are also not expensive. The expensive ones are the ones made to fit just you and that are hinged and with springs. these work a lot better and are less likely to rub or cause sores. I have worse footdrop on the left side and wore only an “off the shelf” AFO on the left side when I had that kind. I think it would really be hard to walk with this kind on both feet because there is no flexibility. The springed AFOs allow me to use the toes to power forward while the hinged keep the toes from falling too far when the foot is off the ground and moving forward.

      Regarding regular shoes. I also tried “high tops”. The problem for me was that the ones I tried were more heavy than regular shoes and it is harder to lift the legs up enough for all the steps needed in a day. In retrospect, lighter high tops with a stiff sole would have been better to try. My favorite shoes to walk in without the AFOs (on the occasional good day) just have a stiff sole and ankle support, but are not high tops.

      It sounds like there is a balance issue as well as the footdrop and either a cane or walker might help you a lot. It is not good to fall.

      With Hope for cure of these diseases.

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 5:40 am

      Thanks to everyone who replied as i appreciate your answers and all. I never thought about using high lace shoes or boots for footdrop as i’ll check into that also.

      Thanks again !!
      eric…….

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 5:57 am

      Yep, use the cane for balance and to keep me from falling down when there aren’t any convenient walls to bounce off of. 😉 I got my cane at Walmart for $14, it’s pretty cool – it retracts so I can stuff it in my backpack if it gets in the way. And it’s brown, or copper colored, not boring silver. I decorated it too and as Jim says, it helps keep people in line. 😀

      As for the foot drop, I’ve got some thick leather high top boots that work pretty well, though, as you say they are heavy. However, sometimes I wear them on purpose to try to build up some more muscles in my legs. High top tennis shoes also work well for me, they aren’t as heavy and who doesn’t think Converse All Stars are cool? Heck they cross generations! Here’s another trick I saw someone use once – they attached a piece of string to the bottom of their shoe at the toe, and then hooked it to the bottom of their pants leg. It was pretty unobtrusive and seemed to work well for him.

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 10:12 am

      Ericc,
      Yes I use 2 canes to keep my balance. I use the offset type as they give you a straight handle to grip and helps with stability. I like the canes better that a walker because they are much easier to maneuver around the house.
      Hang in there
      Larry

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 10:51 am

      Thanks Julie and Learthur for your info on footdrop and the canes. Question about the high tops with Foot Drop. O.K. since this helps do you still have a tendency to raise your legs when you walk. I bet it would feel very weird not to raise my legs as i’ve done this since 2000 as with Foot Drop its easy to catch a rock and crack in the sidewalk etc…

      Any recommendations where to buy laced up boots…..the discount retailers or somewhere else. My money is limited as i have not work since jan as i had to quit to apply for SSDI as i’m living off my savings and after all these years i decided it was time as it was just to hard to be on my feet all day as a tradesman with CIDP.

      Julie …..the price of the cane is very good but the price of the AFO’s are about 500 to 1,000 dollars right? as that’s kinda tough right now.

      Well thanks again everyone as i hope medical science can help us all soon in the future.
      eric………

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 11:30 am

      LOL I have that same copper colored walmart cane! I thought the same thing when faced with the color choices; no boring silver! My friend at work decorated mine with different colored sharpies.

      I still lift my feet when i walk in my high tops, one of the guys at work calls me a high stepper. Anyhow, the shoes i just bought are more a mid rise than a high top but i still get enough ankle support to keep my feet straight, They are nike air and they were right at $50 at Academy. i have had them a week now and so far so good. I have two other pairs of high tops. One is a pair of Reeboks that have lasted 12 years and beside looking terrible because they’re white and old, they are like an old pair of jeans. I have another pair of black reeboks for work. we’re supposed to wear dress shoes but i don’t have to do that. I usually buy Reebok because i have always found them comfortable and extremely long lasting. I shy away from buying off-brand shoes at walmart or payless because they don’t last and usually don’t have much in the way of arch supports.

      Walmart DOES have some great lace-up boots however. I bought a pair of Brahma work boots there once that were as comfortable and long lasting as Reeboks and had great arch supports. As far as weight goes they were the heaviest shoes i ever wore, and at close to $70 10 years ago, also the most expensive. They looked really butch though!

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 1:34 pm

      For boots try the Salvation Army or a local hospice – I don’t know if you all have those here, they are like the Salvation Army but the funds go to pay for hospice care. Also my neice found a cool pair of lace up boots at a consignment shop for $12.

      For mine, I bought mine off of Ebay about 5 years ago – they are steel toed workboots because at the time I was working and needed them for safety reasons. I got them for $7 because they are men’s boots. These puppies are super heavy and I only wear them now when I’m feeling like I could do some physical exercise without damage.

      There is also an outlet mall near me and they have three or four shoe stores. If you aren’t really particular about how they look you can get some pretty cheap discounts while still maintaining quality. I mean purple and aqua aren’t my favorite colors together but they were only $20.

      Finally, I’ve found some decent shoes at shops like Payless and $10 shoe stores. You kind of have to check them out well but I’ve got a pair of boots that were $15 and they’ve lasted me 10 years.

      It probably sounds like I’m a shoe fanatic but really I only have about 10 pairs all together… I am just cheap by nature and circumstances. :p

      Oh, and yes I still pick my feet up a little bit but I’ve kind of learned to roll my hips and race walk which means I don’t have to pull up my feet quite so much, and it keeps the bursitis from flaring up in my hip.

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 4:39 pm

      I was unable to use a cane. I loose balance and fall, so I use a walker. I have a walker that has a seat with wheels and brakes and one that has front wheels and tennis balls for at night.
      I do not have foot drop, but my toes are curling under from contractions.
      CIDP Nov 2007

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm

      [QUOTE=TXBill]
      I still lift my feet when i walk in my high tops, one of the guys at work calls me a high stepper. [/QUOTE]

      Yeap i feel like i’m in the Marching Band at the High School football games if you catch my drift….lol…..
      TXBill….i have a question and that is even though you still raise your feet with them on would it be even worse without them??

      Thanks
      eric…

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 5:29 pm

      Thanks again as always Julie as you always offer great advice and all !!

      eric….

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 5:32 pm

      [QUOTE=blskat1]I was unable to use a cane. I loose balance and fall, so I use a walker. I have a walker that has a seat with wheels and brakes and one that has front wheels and tennis balls for at night.
      I do not have foot drop, but my toes are curling under from contractions.
      CIDP Nov 2007[/QUOTE]

      Well i’ve been blessed at this point that i don’t need a walker (yet) as i’d probably use a wheelchair if i got that bad but i’m sorry to hear about you needing a walker as this disease really does just suck….parden my expression.

      Hope for the best to ya !
      eric….

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 9:28 pm

      [QUOTE=ERICC]Yeap i feel like i’m in the Marching Band at the High School football games if you catch my drift….lol…..
      TXBill….i have a question and that is even though you still raise your feet with them on would it be even worse without them??

      Thanks
      eric…[/QUOTE]

      I know you’re thinking why buy high tops if you’re still going to be high stepping.

      First, the IvIG has really kicked in (finally!) after about a year, so i am walking MUCH better than before I started showing my CIDP. I have not fallen in over three months now, and the high stepping is really just habit (or insuance) I think. I feel like without wearing high tops I might not have this accident-free streak. I should find some wood to knock on but only wicker is within reach.

      I have tried wearing a pair of leather sandals I bought many years ago, and it actually scared me the way they felt. i was too used to the support of the high topped shoes.

    • Anonymous
      March 8, 2008 at 9:33 pm

      [QUOTE=ERICC] “…i don’t need a walker (yet) as i’d probably use a wheelchair if i got that bad…”

      eric….[/QUOTE]

      Just curious but i gotta ask, what makes you feel that way?