Question: Good morning. Dr. XXXXXXX I hope this message finds you in good health. My X-ray and consultation yesterday brought good news; but I now have three issues on which I need your advice. The surgeon announced that the healing is well underway, I do not need the Moon Boots any more, and I should now practice putting weight on the foot to assist the healing process. I could see on the X-ray image what seemed like a ring of some kind around where each fracture was concentrated. I suppose that is the callus of which you spoke. First issue: in trying to put weight on the foot, is it enough for me to just walk around the house for a total of 10 minutes or so (total arising from several 1 to 2 minutes of walking), and go shopping twice weekly and there be on my feet for about 15 minutes each time? I do not mean to be as precise as these numbers suggest; but I wish to have a good sense about what amount of daily walking would be too much stress on the foot at this time. Second issue: last night for the first time since the accident, I did not sleep in the Moon Boots. I used a regular shoe to protect the foot; but I awoke in the middle of the night to a sensation of slight pain on the outside of my foot around the break. I took off the shoe, and spent the rest of the night with no shoe . Is it reasonably safe to continue sleeping with no shoe, provided I stay off the side that pus pressure on the foot? Third issue: I am planning to get shoes that are very rigid around the toes and at the bottom near the break (like work boots used by auto mechanics) to allow me to walk with minimal pressure placed in the area of the break. Also the shoe should be larger than usual, to allow the foot to be quite loose (no pressure) inside it. Is that the right idea? Thanks in advance, Dr. XXXXXXX

Thanks a lot for your prompt and helpful response, Dr. XXXXXXX I have a follow-up question, please. After making the error of sleeping with a tight shoe night before last night, I got two or three twinges if sharp pain as I stepped on the side if the foot where the break took place. I immeditely went back to using the Moon Boots and have carefully kept pressure ffo that side until now by walking on the heel (no more pain twinges). I plan to keep using the Moon Boots and walking on the heel for for one more day before trying to walk with full pressure across the bottom of that foot. my question is this: should I continue using the Moon Boots for a few more fays to make sure that any interruption if the healing process is aborted? PS -- The design of the Moon Boot prevented presure from getting to that side of the foo for the past 5+ weeks.t

A BIG thanks to you Dr. XXXXXXX I was embarrassed by the idea that my question was rather stupid; but I was scared by the fact that that was the first time I felt that type of sharppain over all those weeks. I appreciate your reassurance that I should focus on stimulating the proper healing of the bones. Thanks again.