For any self-respecting fashion icon, the right choice of shoes is clearly important.
But after breaking her left foot in a gym accident in February, Victoria Beckham was forced to give up her usual stiletto heels in favor of something more prosaic: namely a medical ‘walker’ boot.
Ten days ago she was still doing it, posting a photo on social media doing an upper-body workout at a gym with the damaged foot still strapped in – although by the time of her 50th birthday party shortly afterwards she had swapped it for crutches instead .
Other celebrities recently spotted in medical walking boots include Coleen Rooney, Rebekah Vardy and Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood, who is currently wearing one on each foot following surgery to ‘flatten’ his ‘squished’ toes.
Composed of two parts, the boot immobilizes the joints so that fractures can heal in the correct position, while still allowing movement that you cannot get with a traditional cast.
After breaking her left foot in a gym accident in February, Victoria Beckham had to give up her usual stiletto heels in favor of something more prosaic: namely a medical ‘walker’ boot – but they can do more harm than good if used for too long , experts warn
Regular use of the boots for more than about six weeks can cause weak bones, joint stiffness, muscle wasting and back pain. Pictured: Coleen Rooney sporting one in 2022
Medical walking boots tend to do this are used for injuries caused by the lower shin down, fitting securely around the leg with Velcro or with air pockets are inflated by hand to cushion the injury.
But as they become increasingly accessible – available online from around £100 – experts are concerned that they are being embraced a little too enthusiastically by some who don’t just wear them for recovery, like Victoria Beckham, but continue to use them. on and off for months, or in some cases even years.
Still, using the boots regularly for more than about six weeks can cause weak bones, joint stiffness, muscle wasting and back pain.
‘It can be a problem because patients can become too dependent on the boot,’ says Shelain Patel, consultant orthopedic surgeon at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital and Princess Grace Hospital, both in London.
‘They have more confidence in the support and don’t want to stop using it because they worry that the healing bone will be vulnerable.
‘I know patients who wear it every day – even at work – after a fracture.
“Because they have found it more comfortable to walk in, they stay in it for years, only to discover later that it is the only thing they can wear anymore,” he told Good Health.
This is because overuse can cause tendons and muscles in the foot and shin to become less flexible and stiffer due to lack of use.
So if the wearer then puts on regular shoes, even walking can be painful and difficult due to the limited range of motion.
The primary function of the running shoe is to put stress on the joints after an injury, such as a fracture, to promote the healing process, explains Sam Singh, orthopedic surgeon at HCA London Bridge.
“It’s designed to allow you to move more easily than with crutches while the injury heals.”
It also acts as a visible deterrent, letting others know to be careful when they come near you.
“But it should not be used as a long-term replacement for a shoe,” Mr Singh adds. “It’s not something you can walk miles in.”
The boots are widely used in the NHS, but one problem is that patients can wait a long time for a follow-up appointment, leaving them to wear them in the meantime.
‘The point of a plaster cast is that it keeps the joints still, while the advantage of a boot is that the person can move around much more easily than on crutches – and unlike a plaster cast it can be removed when you want to shower or go to bed’ , says Tim Allardyce, physiotherapist at Surrey Physio.
How long is it safe to wear the walking boots?
On average, boots should not be used for more than six weeks, says Jamie Arbuthnot, a knee surgeon at the University Hospitals of Birmingham.
‘Most typical adult bones regain about 80 percent of their original strength within six weeks and so are usually strong enough to fit into softer standard shoes.
‘Wearing the boot for longer is also not good for the cartilage (the protective tissue between the joints).
‘If you don’t move the joint properly (when the boot is on), the cartilage can break down, leading to osteoarthritis or even fusion of the joints – which can be permanent.’
And it’s not just wearing it for too long that can be a problem, says Mr Singh.
‘Another problem is that the boots have thick soles and can change the way you walk if you don’t wear a shoe of equal height on the other foot.’
When this happens, your body tilts to one side and other joints will have to compensate for this unnatural position, putting strain on the back and hips and causing pain, he explains.
A study of 46 patients wearing a “controlled ankle motion” running shoe for a lower extremity injury found that 67 percent reported new or worsening pain two weeks or more after initial use – with the pain most often affecting the back, the hip. and knee.
In addition, a third of patients still had pain three months after they stopped wearing the boot.
However, prolonged use of the boot, which takes pressure off the bones, can lead to disuse osteopenia, where the bones become thinner and weaker. Pictured: Jenni Falconer wore a walking boot in 2020
The authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in 2018, concluded that it is “common” for people to experience pain as a result of wearing boots.
To avoid this, look at yourself in the mirror with the boot on and then choose a shoe for the other foot that is close to the height of the boot. You can tell this is the correct height if there is no tilt. the pelvis.
Another problem is the effect on bone strength: we need to put pressure on the bone so that old cells are broken down and new ones are created.
However, prolonged use of the boot, which takes pressure off the bones, can lead to disuse osteopenia, where the bones become thinner and weaker.
‘If you already have low bone density, for example if you are post-menopausal, the bones can become even weaker,’ says Mr Singh.
A quick search online shows that the boots can be purchased for between £100 and £200, but it is much better to have one fitted by a doctor or physio than to randomly choose one online.
As Mr. Patel notes, “For example, if you have a big foot or a skinny leg, it’s easy to have a mismatch.”
Guidance from a doctor or physical therapist can also ensure that the air sacs that are manually inflated in some types of boots to hold the damaged joint in place do not become too full, which can restrict movement and cause skin irritation.
Above all, make sure you get out of the trunk as quickly as possible, experts say.
‘As a general rule of thumb, once you can bear weight through the foot, you no longer need the boot, depending on the type of fracture,’ says Tim Allardyce.
‘The trick is to get rid of it slowly. Maybe you can take it off and walk around the house first, and then through the garden.
‘You should also work with a physio who will give you mobilization exercises to get the joints moving again, such as bending the foot forward and back or circling your ankle.
“You want to get out of the boat, not overboot.”