Bone Stimulator - Foot Problems Message Board

Smileyrose · 07-29-2008, 08:40 PM

I had flatfoot reconstruction on 5/30. I have been casted for 8 weeks. I went to the doctor yesterday and he said that my bone is not healing as fast as it should be. They are going to give me one more month and then if it still is not healing at a good rate then they are going to give me a bone stimulator. Has anyone had one of these things. I looked it up and it does not seem fun. Can someone please tell me if they have ever been on one and what it is like.

Thanks

Hankster13 · 07-29-2008, 09:11 PM

I used one for a while for a non-union of a stress fracture of the navicular. It isn't proven for that bone, so i didn't have a lot of faith in it, and in the end had surgery on the foot anyway.

Using it is no big deal. It was a twenty minute thing each day. I just settled down on the couch, hooked up and watched Jepordy. The only thing i didn't like, was the ultrasound gel that had to be cleaned off the machine and off my foot at the end of each session. A couple of paper towels and....done.

debbie g · 07-30-2008, 12:26 PM

i did have one. it doesnt hurt at all and i think i used it 30 minutes a day. its worth a try as long as you dont have to pay for it out of pocket. i cant even tell you if it worked or not.

beanstock · 07-30-2008, 02:23 PM

Hankster -- you had a navicular fracture. I just posted about it in a different thread. I'm worried about nonunion too, since apparently they're hard to heal. Would you reply to my post (called "foot fracture -- just began bearing weight again") and tell me about your experience? Thanks.

smcatharine · 07-31-2008, 04:09 AM

Hi! I had flat foot reconcstruction on 4/23 and was 8 weeks in a cast and 2 weeks in a boot with crutches. Right now I'm doing intensive PT 3x a week. These past weeks have been the hardest part of the whole recovery because everything is so tight and sore and the weather doesn't help. The guys at PT say, "You gotta be patient!"

I had to use the EBI bone stimulator for 10 hours everyday. It was a "coil" that I placed over the cast. No big deal. The biggest annoyance was that I would forget it and get up and unhook it or I'd forget to recharge the battery. Everyone used to tease me that it wasn't EBI but FBI and all my actions were being recorded.

So, if this is what you'll be using it's really very easy!

Good luck! My prayers for a good recovery!
Sr. Mary Catharine