neuropathy and shoes

Hello Jeff,

I have had the same question.

I got GBS last September. I had coped best bare foot (or sock-footed), and wore athletic shoes and Danko closed-back Clogs for going out – with the help of a Millennial crutch or two. I could not leave shoes on for more than five hours or so.

I started wearing NIKE SHOX. I can walk straighter, and now walk without the crutch – although carefully. I can wear these shoes all day. I don’t wear socks with shoes so as I seem to have more ‘touch’ with the ground without socks. My feet feel too warm with socks, also.

I cannot wear any sandals, for I’ll fall.

Three of my teenage kids wear Shox. I am now wearing them EVERY DAY. I walk better with these shoes than walking bare-footed.
(We buy on eBay.)

I’m open to more shoe recommendations.

Hot baths before bed help relax my feet for sleep, and kicking the sheets off my feet throughout the night keep them cool.

What a drag – but could be much worse, right?

Kindest Regards,
Tamara

[Have you noticed that Dr. House wears Shox on the TV show, House? He has a ‘bum’ leg.]

About shoes, I’ve been wearing “Crocs” and they are sooo comfortable. They are lightweight and I can wear them all day. They aren’t pretty, but who cares, if they feel good? I don’t like them without socks, though, they are sticky, and with socks, I have to be careful because some socks feel like I’m walking on gravel. I wear them inside out a lot. (The socks, not the shoes.)
I hope you get some relief, it sounds like you’re having even more trouble than I am with your feet. God bless you, PW

I have to wear AFO’s and they also want me wearing medical socks. This is a pain in the butt, without them my legs swell up and I can’t walk without the AFO’s and the only shoes that I can use are running shoes and I had to wear mens running shoes and that was hard enough to find as womens din’t fit and mens shoes didn’t all fit either. I tried getting ones that would breath good and be cool but no luck. I don’t really notice except that they smell. I still have no motor or sensory to my feet or ankles so in that way I am lucky though I still get the odd feeling like a lightning bolt just went through them. But that is rare.

Hope there is a solution for everybody.
Sonja

I love my Clark shoes. Now I don’t know if they make men’s shoes, but as great as they are they’ve got to. They are the only kind I have bought the past 4 years. Mules and sandals – amazing they don’t fall off my feet. They come with this ‘comfort guarantee’ for 30 days. So it is worth a try. I used to get corns between my toes with my older shoes and now I haven’t had one since I’ve been wearing these shoes. I wear them with my jeans and dress pants for work.

[B]Our poor feet[/B]… when I get ready to go to bed, my feet are freezing so I turn on the heating pad that is permanently under my comforter. Then I wake up in a couple of hours and it feels like my feet are burning. NOTE: The heating pad shuts off after 1 hour, so the warm up is on my own. I also have a horrible problem with edema – swelling of my ankles – especially when I drink beer and it is hot outside 😡 I guess I should shut up about now. :confused:

Hi Jeff,

I wear Easy Spirit level 3 sneakers. One foot looks good but the toes on left foot are all crunched up (although one never knows with GBS–my right hand straightened out about 2 years ago).

A podiatrist warned me to examine the bottom of my feet every night–using a mirror if you cannot bend down or bring your foot high enough–to make sure I had not stepped on anything during the day. When I told him about greatly increased feeling in my foot, he showed me how the nerves healed unevenly. (He very simply used a sterile needle to follow the nerves.)

Regards,
Marge

i just bought a brand new pair of new balance 811 shoes weds, i love them. they are wide and lightwieght and help with keeping my ankles from rolling outwards. the lady at the nb store was sooo helpful, i told her about my ankle swelling, nerve issues, heal pain, balance problems(like she couldn’t tell when i was walking around), she fixed me up with the perfect pair of shoes. i couldn’t make up my mind between two pairs, even telling me the price of each didn’t help, i left it to her eyes, and i am really glad i did because they have been on my feet all weds night, all day thursday, and today. i even went with the more expensive ones because they really made a difference on the stablizing of my ankles and legs. i went to Cedar Point amusement park yesterday and had absolutely no problems with discomfort like i have been having since i’ve been walking last aug. i do still have the tingles, numbness, burning, hot feelings, but these shoes are making those problems the last thing i am thinking about. the weight of my shoes are the equivalant of just having heavy socks on, maybe not even that heavy, i just love the feeling of these shoes, and all i did was change from one style to another style. i have worn new balance since my d.o. told me they are great for back problems, because they have the perfect amount of support, if they are properly fitted to your foot. don’t give up on finding the right shoe, they are out there.:)

ouch…..ouch….ouch…..
Ya’ll made me remember something…..gave me goose-bumps up my arms.
I remember the nurses putting on those….I think they called them Ted Hose.
It was always very painful when they put them on…..tight….and they would always seem to snap me…putting them on. I remember it feeling like a rubber-band snapping me. It give me the chills….right now….just thinking about it…..ouch…ouch…ouch. 😮
I walk around the house most the time….summer and winter….barefoot….or with socks. Hot feet!!!! No shoes for me….unless I go out. I can’t wait to get them off…when I get to where I’m going. I also have trouble with weak ankles. I am forever twisting and turning them. High ankle tennis shoes work the best for me….more support.
God bless
Jenny

Jeff,

I just wanted to thank you for mentioning the Nike Shox. …….I am going to get a pair next “$ payday”……they look nice…….but, there are sooo many to choose from 🙂 I need a new pair of tennies……and like everyone else, it takes some effort to find something comfortable after our feet have gone thru all this GBS trauma!!!!

And, I agree inre. to the hospital “issue” traction socks……………….I hated them, also!!:(

Perry

Diabetic shoes are designed for diabetics with neuropathic feet and work just as well with GBS patients. You can find retailers on the internet using “diabetic shoes” as the key words in the search engine.

I would like to mention foot massage. My hero-husband did that for me with faithfullness thru the years. Yes, I still have some pain and the “to hot feeling” at times but over the years it’s gotten better. Anything that will encourage your circulation to better supply your body with healing assistance is a good thing! I will quote Gene one more time, GBS “getting better slowly”. You can’t push a rope you can only offer assistance! Your nerves will continue to improve at your rate of healing, not anyone elses.

it’s only birkenstocks for me!! w/ wool socks in winter! ha….i look ‘odd’, but really don’t care……take care…becky in wv….

I find that Clarks and Merrill both make comfortable shoes, with removable foot beds that allow room for orthotics inside. I had custom orthotics made for me, and they have helped my balance.

The hardest part for me is finding styles that are pretty and comfortable at the same time.

Hope you find something that works for you.

Suzanne

I have Reebock running shoes. My physical therapist suggested that I get running shoes because they are lighter weight which will be easier for walking, they are breathable and being made of cloth they dont get bent in any certain position if I am sitting strangly and dont realize it. I just happened to have liked Reebok shoes before GBS so I know the general sizes and since I cant feel my feet its hard to fit shoes.

The funny part is when I was at the store in my wheelchair telling my friend that I was looking for running shoes with a good tread (some running shoes are a bit slippery on the bottom which isnt good for learning how to walk again). Got a lot of strange looks from people of why a person in a wheelchair would need running shoes. 😀

I love my Born (the o has a slash through it) clogs. Although I am generally not wearing shoes even when I’m at work. I like to slip them off all day. I have a pair of running shoes that I like too although I can’t remember the brand at the moment. I hate having hot feet and tingling feet and not being able to stand for more than 10 minutes at a time – with or without shoes.
I am thankful though that I never lost the ability to walk – I still wobble quite a bit and lose my balance very easily.
Michelle:o
GBS/MFS March 2006