Re: Winter Boots

[Guest guest]

,

I have plastic AFOs. I need casual boots that are for Winter, that I would wear

with pants. It gets very slippery here in Michigan during the winter and I will

need something good. Thank you for all of your

help.

Missy

[Guest guest]

Hello,

My AFOs are one-piece plastic with no hinges at the ankle, they are

solid.

If yours are like mine, and build for an athletic shoe, then you will

probably need a 1 " heel, but please measure your shoe to make sure.

If you find a pair of boots with a lower heel then your shoe, a shoe

repair store or your orthotist can add a wedge under your AFO to make

up the difference.

If the heels are higher, then you may walk on your heels, or flex

your knees making you unstable and lose your balance more easily.

http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/shoes.html is a good reference for

finding your shoe size. You may need a size larger, and a wider with

to accommodate the AFO.

I grew up 80 miles southeast of Chicago in northwest Indiana, so I

know what your winters are like. I now live in North Carolina.

Here are some suggestions:

For warmth I have a pair of imitation UGG shearling boots that come

up to my knee, my mother (my primary caregiver) can cuff the shaft

down so that my feet can slide in with the AFO's on, then uncuff

them. I also have a shorter pair (mountain gear, I think) with less

lining that have Velcro straps.

Please remember to look for a style that you can remove the insole if

possible, or check your local shoe stores to see if they have

something that you can try on. Payless, DSW, etc. I cannot remove the

insole from the UGG imitation boots, but they have " molded " to the

AFO, and very comfortable.

There a number of choices for you, I will paste some links to give

you an idea of what is it available, then the hard part will be up to

you to find the right pair.

These links may need to be copy and pasted into a browser if they are

too long.

http://www.shoemall.com/ShoeSearchResults.aspx?

brand=24182 & gender=3 & page=2

http://www.zappos.com/welcome.zhtml?1114

Zappos has a good selection of UGG boots as well, this year, some

have zippers for easy on and off.

There are more sources to numerous to list.

I use knee high smart wool socks www.smartwool.com (?) for extra

warmth and moisture wicking, but this set of AFOs were made for

this, I had a specific goal in mind, when I had my second set made,

so that I could be more comfortable with my low blood circulation.

I hope this gives you some starting points, please ask questions if

you need something clarified, etc. I will be happy to do what I can

to help you on this.

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you so much for the great information. This will help a ton. Thanks

again.

Missy

[Guest guest]

I have a pair of Khombu boots. They are from Russia. Very warm and comfy and

good traction. They were expensive! But well worth it for my feet which are

always cold. I could stand at dog park with my Husky in the coldest weather and

my feet weren't cold.

 

 

Who is familar with snow lol Gotta love New England weather! 15 Inches of snow

in two days then rain and ice to make it stay UGH