crutchman’s Sports Watch Injury

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

16 Responses to “Sleep with boot on or off ?”

1. on 25 Jul 2011 at 5:52 pm1 bcurr

   I’ve read some people sleeping without the boot.
   Personally I wouldn’t take the risk, one wrong roll or worse, bad cramp and that could be going back a few weeks.

   What I do do is loosen the straps on the boot so blood doesn’t get cut off to your feet which hurts in the morning.
   I’ve also ordered a gel heel cup as that seems to be a place for pain as well (has woken me up a few times recently).
   Apart from that though it doesn’t bother me.

   The wife on the other hand, not sure she likes it smacking into her legs!

   
   
2. on 25 Jul 2011 at 6:08 pm2 bcurr

   For extra clarification, the straps (mine are through a loop and pulled back and fixed by velcro) are loosened about an inch. Just enough to have some wiggle room, but not enough to do too much movement.

   
   
3. on 25 Jul 2011 at 6:38 pm3 alice

   I was told two weeks ago to sleep with the boot off, but I am still wearing it most of the night. My gel ice packs fit nicely in the boot. Icing is better than sleeping/pain medication for me. Plus I am afraid I’ll trip over my nocturnal manx cat.

   
   
4. on 25 Jul 2011 at 6:51 pm4 danair

   I have been told it is cast on all the time other than when doing physio and having a bath. So I have been sleeping in mine…

   
   
5. on 25 Jul 2011 at 6:57 pm5 crutchman

   Thanks everyone. I’m about to go to sleep so really appreciate the quick responses. Boot will be on during sleep and loose straps. Boot walked all day and tendon feels sore. Will ice it right away.

   
   
6. on 25 Jul 2011 at 8:33 pm6 deana

   Thought I’d add my two cents. I went from a cast to a boot at 10 days post-op. I kept the boot on for sleeping for about 3 more weeks, though I actually took the front plate right off and did the straps back up. My understanding of the issues around sleep are not so much a bad roll or cramp, but that while relaxed, your foot tends to “point” down more, and the tendon could tighten up short overnight. In the morning, if you rush to jam your heel down into the boot before your tendon is loose enough you risk re-injuring it. Keeping my foot “flexed” in the boot without the front plate seemed to solve that issue, while eliminating the sore spots I was getting from being strapped in with the plate 24 hours a day. After three weeks, I felt confident enough to sleep without any of it. But I continue to do lots of ankle rolls and gentle ROM motion exercises when I wake up, before I put on the boot or try to bear weight on my foot.

   
   
7. on 25 Jul 2011 at 9:02 pm7 tkd108

   I only slept with mine for about a week post op. It drove me nuts. Haven’t slept with it since. Got the actual “OK” from my doc about 2 weeks ago. Haven’t had any issues. It feels good when I sleep.

   
   
8. on 26 Jul 2011 at 3:36 am8 bcurr

   @deana
   Sleeping without the plate sounds a good idea. Them sore spots really can get …. sore!

   
   
9. on 26 Jul 2011 at 4:44 am9 mtbrider

   Yep, I am another boot sleeper. I figure that when the boot is on you do not have much of a risk, however if it is off the possiblities could are more serious. There is a good chance you will be fine, but I figure for me it is not worth the risk. A few wee drams before bed, loosen the straps before getting in and you should get a good nights sleep. If not add a few more drams until you do get a good one!

   
   
10. on 26 Jul 2011 at 3:31 pm10 quepasa18

    I take my boot off whenever I’m just sitting around and when I sleep. I put it back on whenever I’m moving around though. I’m still NWB and need crutches to get around and my doctor advised keeping the boot on when I move just to be safe. I’m a bit accident prone so I do that.

    I’ve noticed that it is stiffer in the morning than if I’d kept the boot on, but it’s just so much more comfortable to sleep without it. I am just careful in the morning about easing back into the boot. And if I wake up during the night I stretch it a bit.

    
    
11. on 21 Aug 2011 at 12:15 pm11 jflyfish

    So if it preferred to have the tendon neutral or toe pointed down while sleeping?
    My plan was to not sleep in the boot, but switch back to the splint (which points toe down) for sleeping comfort.

    
    
12. on 21 Aug 2011 at 4:22 pm12 crutchman

    I’m not much of a mover when i sleep. At week 6 i just took the risk and slept without the boot. What i did is sleep on my side and used my good foot as a buffer to protect my bad foot from over extending upwards. But also i new i had a good ROM so that even if the foot extended i will not cause major damage. Also you have to remember you want to gradually move your foot back to neutral position, so if you want to use the splint make sure its in the same position as the boot otherwise its counter productive. Good luck and remember there is a slight risk of injury sleeping with out a boot so be careful specially if your foot does not have a good ROM.

    
    
13. on 21 Aug 2011 at 5:25 pm13 bcurr

    Feel I should update my comments. From Week 6 post-op I started sleeping without the boot. I figured if I was standing without boot in the shower and shuffling bootless to the kitchen, I could sleep without a boot on.

    
    
14. on 24 Aug 2011 at 9:03 pm14 fry199

    I got the green light to sleep without a boot at 5 weeks. Though, I don’t move much and I never get up in the middle of the night. The advice to warm up your foot before putting weight on it in the morning is a good one - I spend about 10 minutes doing it after I wake up. I also sleep with the foot outside the blanket, just in case it gets caught up when I yank on the covers.

    
    
15. on 27 May 2012 at 2:28 am15 Jo Holland

    Splinter 5th metatarsal, have plate and pins. Was informed I will no longer have my doc - they won’t tell me why he’s no longer available - of course I’m not happy about that. Had to wait 9 day for surgery; all I know is, if you are going to do this, don’t do it at 63 and when you are fat. Crutches suck. Had an electric ‘Jazzy’ chair for 4 weeks and the 5th week felt I should have kept it one more week - too late. Now into my 6th wk since surgery. I don’t toss and turn much in bed, but still concerned about not wearing the velcro boot. May wait til Wed - week 6 and then sleep w/o it. Was to see Dr. Friday - 2 days after the 6th wk past surgery, but now have to wait another 5 days. Was told I could start putting weight on the heel at week 6, so Friday I will be doing that doc appt or not — I can’t do this any longer. Plus yesterday was the 1st day that I could tell the foot is a lot better. Must add that I’ve had acupuncture and have taken supplements from that doc that I feel have helped the healing go a bit faster. Still hoping to be totally done and out of the cast and walking almost normally at week 8. I do think it does help to have foot out of cast when resting and do some rotating of that ankle. Also felt the need to protect the ‘good’ ankle that is carrying all the load. Have soaked in Epsom Salts and have worn an ankle brace when I have to do an extended errand. Also used a knee scooter instead of crutches most of the time. Crutches are for people under 20.
    Yep - Get Better Out There.

    
    
16. on 02 Nov 2012 at 11:11 pm16 Seth

    my doctor told me i could sllep wothout the boot, he said the tendons is stitched and not the risk the risk is too much rehab and stretching the tendon too much.

    i am 16 days post op.

    
    

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