I think the big advantage for Paley, is the support system. I think they have housing options where you can socialize with other LL patients, and also their PT center which you go to 5 days a week. That's really convenient, and can really help mentally as well
Yeah it's interesting. I asked in Athens if I could pay to do a 5th day (patients do only 4 days a week) and the doctor in Athens was against it, saying we need a break (we usually do MonTues break ThursFriday and then the PT center is closed on the weekends in Athens). I'm not sure what to make of it, I guess this is also an advantage of Paley to have the option to do 5 times a week.
I've usually used the no-PT day (wednesday) to go swimming for femurs (feels pretty good/easy to stretch thighs in the water). I don't think swimming/walking in the water is that useful for tibias in the early stages, like it helps with strength but I don't think stretching the calves in the water is that good. The water just holds your body up and you don't end up putting that much force on the calves (not that we'd even want to for precise 2) though bending the upper body down while doing it can help slightly (but it stretches hamstrings too).
I wonder if Paley Institute PT center is open on the weekends (?), which could allow for more flexible scheduling or like 2 days PT, 1 day off kind of thing (for 66.6% of days having PT?). Not sure how they do it
After seeing the ballerina foot on one patient in real life, I would have been willing to pay to do a 5th day of PT per week in Athens out of fear--- but it seems awkward to sort of do this with the PT center against my doctor's advice (the PT center talks to the doctor alot). And my conclusion from this is that if he doesn't want us to do a 5th day, then I will need to get a better training routine at the hotel.
If I do tibias with precise, it seems like something like this for at home training?
1. I have heard that slant board while sitting is one of the best things to do? since you can't do slant board while standing with precise 2, at least at my weight (too much)
2. Wearing the splints/braces (they are huge in Athens at least, like armor) when awake to stretch calves, maybe being on the computer to distract yourself from the discomfort?
3. Wearing some pair of softer splints when sleeping/resting? Officially I don't think Giotikas talks about this, but other patients I've talked to say that the huge splints/braces are not possible to sleep in?
4. Possibly wearing some kind of drop foot product when using the walker, but we use the walker for such short periods of time with precise 2, I'm not sure this matters. But maybe eventually when there is enough bone growth to use the walker more frequently?
5. On amazon there is some kind of strap that connects or wraps around your sock that someone here in Athens seems to like, maybe I will try this, anyone tried it?:
https://www.amazon.com/Stretcher-Stretching-Fasciitis-Achilles-Tendonitis-Hamstring/dp/B08JHZYQ7X/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3RIPPBMX2MTQK&keywords=calves+stretcher&qid=1676408299&sprefix=calves%2Caps%2C1084&sr=8-7 If I had a bit more money dedicated for tibias, I think I would go with Becker for weight bearing instead --but I might just either not do tibias. Or do 4cm tibias precise 2 based on what I've seen of other precise tibia patients.
When you're thinking about internal tibias, I think Guichet and Becker look much better on a tier list than they would initially seem to people. Like the ability to use crutches and do standing stretches during tibias seems great compared to being wheelchair bound for so long and having to do seated/lying down stretches for so long. I could be wrong, but it also seems that clicking for tibias is not that painful.
I wonder if there any downsides for clicking tibias that I'm not considering though? Since Giotikas doesn't do internal weight bearing tibias, wonder if there is any health risk for doing them? We just don't have that many clicking tibia diaries, which leonzul was talking about earlier and the reasons for why became clear. Maybe an argument to put Becker/Jean-Marc Guichet in S tier if we remove things like problems related to the IT band release (we'll see how Becker's approach goes, I think it may work out great) and the more extreme lengthening cases. I get why no one would put them in S tier though when we have the impression that the Paley says his institute has a better safety record than other places (and I think I and most people would agree that this statement is probably true)