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I am a T-12 incomplete. When sitting in my wheel chair without shoes and socks on, my feet turn to a deep purple color. As a result, I have worn ted-hose ever since my injury, but I would like to wear shorts and sandals. Any suggestions? Anyone else have this problem?
Thanks, Jim
Yea . . . thx . . . for the note.
I am a T-12 incomplete . . . . and keep working really hard to move down the spine like you . . . . keep pluggin!
God Bless you . . . . and love you,
Jim
Jim, I am so glad you asked this question. My feet turn red, purple and what I call black. This happens when I sit with my feet/legs hanging down, but if I elevate them The color goes more back to normal. I am level L4 injury what is referred to as cauda equina syndrome. I can walk some as I have feeling in the front of my legs, but have most of the same issues as other SCI.
As a result of being able to walk I have not gotten the SCI rehab, so I have been learning on my own from support groups and research and had not gotten an understanding of why my feet changed colors. Thanks Doc and other for the information. My injury is work related, so having to deal with workers comp, but I am hopeful even after 5 years that I will get into the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA to learn more of what I don't know or understand.
Has anyone tried www.discountsurgical.com for support stockings? They have a variety of colors, lengths, and pressures. Their prices are not too bad either.
Yes I have . . . . and they work GREAT! Thank you all for answering my question . . . . I've made new friendships and have a bright outlook for my future, whatever it hold. I give you guys all the credit.
Love you, and may God Bless you as he has me!
Jim
So I have been wearing mine for a couple days now and so far so good.
Have you tried yours yet?
Nina
GOD BLESS! my feet also turn a dark color on the top part.. i did notice one time when i was laying in bed i had my feet prop up really high for a circulation txt and it gave me back some of my reg color back for a few until minutes after they where back down...
Thanks for the info Globalwoundcare. I am not a smoker. I will definitely get that exam done on my lower limbs. I have a t-5 complete spinal cord injury since 1997 do to auto accident and within the past year I started getting the redness in my legs and feet. Thanks again for your help! DeAnna
Angelbrd, good concern. I have no answer, except keep pulling them up! You can apply douderm to the skin to protect the area, but I am not fond of that idea.
Farfalla, the redness may be due to smoking? It can venous, but it may also be arterial. It may have a respiratory cause. It might not be a bad idea to have it checked out. You frequently see red toes in smokers and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. But on the other hand, babies toes are also red/pink. I am recommending you have a lower limb non-invasive arterial and venous exam-cheap and painless. If you are smoking, stop. DeAnna, I hope that helps.
I don't have purple feet by my legs and feet turn red as soon as I get up into my wheelchair. Does this happen also to any of you and what can be done to help this? Thanks, DeAnna
Wow what a bunch of great information. We had to go with the open foot socks as we couldnt' find any to fit Matt due to his size 15 feet. The closed toes always cruched his toes and I was worried that might cause pressure sores. The lady at our local medical supply when I gave her his measurements insisted we get the open toe to keep his tootsies safe. We do take them off at night. I have a quick question does anyone have issues during the day with pressure marks at the top of the foot ankle level. I keep pulling his socks up to try to avoid flods there but where his foot bends at the ankle he gets marks that take time to go away and I worry eventually he will get a sore there. Any suggestions?
Mikey, another point. When I explain edema to my older patients, I use balloons as an example. The first time you blow up a balloon, it is hard to blow up. Let the air out and the next time it blows up easier. Skin is like that, it stretches, but as we get older (or have nerve damage) it does not unstretch as it does when we are kids. If you contol edema for a long period (how long depends on a lot of variables), the skin elastic may tighten up some and support stockings may not become as necessary to control the edema. The does not necessarily mean you should stop wearing them-sorry. You (if you are wheel chair bound) will still have a tendency to develop blood clots. Mikey I hope that explains what you have experienced.
Mikey, Diabetic or pressure wounds on a lower limb are frequently mixed etiology. This means that multiple factors effect the cause and the healing of the wound. Diabetic and pressure wounds are frequently similar in that both have reduce blood flow that effects wound healing. At the same time, if the wound is effected by lower limb edema, the wound may be stretched or torn EVERY DAY. So, I have a dilemma. I need to keep pressure away from the wound, but I need to control the edema-what do I do?
I have developed a dressing that reduces the pressure directly over the wound that can be placed under a compressive dressing or a support stocking.
The dressing is called a Vassar Dressing. I named it after the patient that made me develop it. . The dressing is easy to make and easy to apply. If anyone is interested, let me know and I will describe how to make one. Also, it cost the same as about five 4x4's, because that is what it is made with.
I was wearing Ted hose regularly since becoming paralyzed. My legs and feet were always badly
swollen. Due to a pressure sore on my foot, I stopped wearing them about a month ago. My feet and legs are still swollen BUT NOT NEARLY AS BAD. Also, I don't think I have had as much pain.
I don't mean to confuse the issue, but this has been my experience.
One more comment about support stockings. If you put baby powder or corn starch on the toes, the stockings go on much easier. If you use lotion, lots of luck.
Angelbird67, Support stockings and anti-embolic stockings both work to prevent blood clots. The support stockings have a graduated compression that aids venous return when you are sitting, standing or walking. The support stocking gradient is to help fluid from the base of the toes work its way up. When you are bedfast, the anti-embolic stockings are all you need. I usually recommend to my patients that they should not wear their support stockings to bed unless they feel real tight. If the stockings feel tight, your legs are swollen and wearing the stockings at night may help push the fluid out better. As far as I know, the toe being open, that is a comfort feature. Some like their toes covered up, some don't.
I hope that helps some.
Doc GlobalWoundCare is correct.
For me, I too wear the high socks. I only wear them when I am out of bed. I had two strokes and my docs want me to wear them 100% of the time when I am up and about to avoid clots. My feet have not swollen since I started wearing them. And when I go to bed at night (with the socks off) my feet turn a nice warm pink, like the good ole days.
I don't have ones with holes in the toes like I came home from the hospital with. Those generally speaking are for in the hospital so a doc can check your toes if they want too.
My pharmacy only has one tension level and they seem to work great.
Good luck!
I have a question about the stockings, after your out of the hospital and out of bed do you switch from anti embolic stockings to support stockings do they protect you from clots too? I have asked all the doctors and no one can give me any answers on how long you have to wear them or what kind you need to wear and what is better. The one's he has now that work well and don't roll down are knee high with open toes they remind me of dance socks.. they seem to have great support and he doesn't get round ankles now. He got bad one's in those white jobs the hospital gave us.
FYI-The stockings that are provided in hospitals are not usually support stockings, they are anti-embolic and do not provide graduated support as support stockings do. The difference is that the support stockings are made for people who are out of bed.
Another thing, I recommend thigh high stockings over knee high. The main reason is because many brands of knee high support stockings will roll down and that has a tourniquet effect on the lower leg. It can actually make venous stasis, edema and varicose veins worse.
Depending on the amount of venous pooling (purple feet) and lower limb edema you have, there are different amounts of support stockings pressures available. I will typiclly prescribe 30-40 mmhg. But, you can get support socks and stockings at much lower pressure gradients.
Thanks everybody! I'm going to get mine today! I'll let you know what I think.
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