conflicting advice from 2 physios

Morpheus

Hi lads,
I currently am graced with healing ankle ligament injurys to both feet (deltoid ligament) complicated by fallen arches (right ankle is nearly back to normal).

Physio sessions and orthotics have cost me the guts of a grand and while i am now back to light jogging, i recently went to a different physio that my usual one.

I am now utterly confused.

Physio 1 got me to get orthotics (specially made arch supporting insoles) and put me on a regime of strength exercises (being flat footed means my ligament injuries were to the deltoid ligaments and strains on the calf muscles and achilles tendon) to build everything back up. this has worked fine to date, but ive been getting impatient...

Went to a new physio for second opinion, he checked my legs all the way down as opposed to my usual physios ankle only checkups.

The new guy discovered that the inside quad muscle above my knee on my left leg (the more severly injured ankle) has been weakened by my gait and he reckons its shrunk since i injured the ankle because ive changed the way i walk.

He now has recommended that I walk in socks or bare feet whenever im indoors to help the arches strengthen up and he now has me doing special balance exercises for nine minutes on each foot which are to improve balance, priorpreceptor nerve responses and to improve the arches. Im continuing using a thera band to work on the muscles and ligaments as per the original physio.

New guy then told me to stop wearing the orthotics for the fallen arches and to not tape the ankle when i go jogging, on the pretence that these take the strain off my foot and dont allow the ligaments to build up in strength properly...

now remember, im doing light jogging, nothing heavy and its on soft sand or grass, with little or no road jogging for about 20-30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week, just easing into it again.

so my friends, which physio is telling me the right things???
what do i do or where can i look for professional advice!!?????

Morpheus

well... no replies, and 42 views, i take it to mean that no1 here has any experience of the above, nor advice for me?

Im thinking of contacting the Irish Physio authority to ask them, does anyone know if this will help?...

its utterly confusing, to do one thing may be right, or it may be wrong and do the other, same story... my health is in danger now because i went for a second opinion and have 2 different viewpoints...



Just noticed.... the usual person i see is a PhysIOtherapist...
this new guy is a PhysiCALtherapist

wonder what the difference is....

Corksham

"Doctors differ, patients die" as the adage runs and not being of a medical background myself I would imagine their advice is subjective, sorry I cant be of any help!

Imposter

What did the person who gave you the orthotics say? I presume they said you should wear the insoles at all times? Would you trust their view as being relatively independent (rather than thinking of profit)?

I had a similar problem, physio Vs guy who does the orthotics (there's probably a profession there somewhere but I don't know what else to call it). I also asked my GP for advice. He suggested I go with orthotics and see what i'm happy with.

For you i'd suggest something similar. Do you feel the orthotics are helping? If so why change? Talk to orthotics person and see what their opinion is. Then go back and discuss it with the physio that you don't agree with. Use the info you've gathered from the other professionals and the reasons why you do or don't want to use the orthotics. If nothing else they probably will better explain their view to you.

I don't know if that's anyway useful but hope it helps.

GreeBo

Hey,
I think the insoles will stop the pain but you will be reliant on the for the rest of your days, whereas if you build up the arches (bare feet, exercises, etc) hopefully you should get back to normal.

Yoga is pretty good for building up strength and posture in both your feet and legs.

Lemme know how u get on, my right ankle is in bits from ligament damage nearly a year ago.

Bloody theraband....