Stuck Boot: Help for Over an Hour of Struggling

[wolram]

I went for a test ride on the bike, and now i can not get my right boot off,
i have struggled till i am red in the face, it is as if the boot has shrunk, it is over an hour since my ride and i feel silly walking around with one boot on.

 

[hypatia]

You need to lay down and raise the foot up higher then your body, and just relax, maybe take a nap. You do know that pixies have snuck in durring the night a switched a boot for a smaller one, don't you?

 

[dontdisturbmycircles]

Have you tried untying it wolram? :tongue:

 

[turbo]

I'm not the one who put the glue in the boot, though I might have been the one who suggested it.

 

[dontdisturbmycircles]

You could always just put the other boot back on. At least that way you don't have to walk funny.

 

[Evo]

I went for a test ride on the bike, and now i can not get my right boot off,
i have struggled till i am red in the face, it is as if the boot has shrunk, it is over an hour since my ride and i feel silly walking around with one boot on.

Wolram, I have absolutely no doubt that the world as we know it would cease to exist should we ever meet.


Hypatia's advice is good, sounds like your foot did swell up.

 

[dontdisturbmycircles]

Maybe some ibuprofen would help? Assuming nothing else works. I hope your foot isn't turning blue.

 

[Evo]

I hope there wasn't a poisonous spider in the boot.

 

[wolram]

Have you tried untying it wolram? :tongue:

My boot has no laces it is a pull on boot, and it has all ways come off ok in the past.
Hypatia, if some imp has meddled with my boot and i find him ----------.

 

[wolram]

Wolram, I have absolutely no doubt that the world as we know it would cease to exist should we ever meet.


Hypatia's advice is good, sounds like your foot did swell up.

It would not at all, there would be fire works and an orchestra.

 

[wolram]

By Monique

When you injure yourself, you get a local dilation of the bloodvessels as a response to the injury. This will lead to an increased bloodflow to the area, causing redness and warmth.
At the same time the bloodvessels locally permeabilize so that the increased number of passing leukocytes can pass the bloodvessel wall and enter the injured tissue to start the healing process. The white blood cells will release cytokines, that will attracts additional cells. The permeabilization increases the passage of plasma into the tissue, causing swelling. Pain results from the swelling and probably other factors.

So, an icepack will cause the contraction the dilating bloodcells, thereby the circulation in the area is reduced, there won't be enough circulating white bloodcells to start an inflammation reaction -> reduced swelling.

So should i use ice to stop the leukocytes?

 

[Evo]

If your foot is still swollen, ice is a good idea. You're not prone to blood clots, are you?

 

[chemisttree]

By Monique

When you injure yourself, you get a local dilation of the bloodvessels as a response to the injury. This will lead to an increased bloodflow to the area, causing redness and warmth.
At the same time the bloodvessels locally permeabilize so that the increased number of passing leukocytes can pass the bloodvessel wall and enter the injured tissue to start the healing process. The white blood cells will release cytokines, that will attracts additional cells. The permeabilization increases the passage of plasma into the tissue, causing swelling. Pain results from the swelling and probably other factors.

So, an icepack will cause the contraction the dilating bloodcells, thereby the circulation in the area is reduced, there won't be enough circulating white bloodcells to start an inflammation reaction -> reduced swelling.

So should i use ice to stop the leukocytes?

Sounds good to me. Perhaps you are retaining water? Start drinking heavily and see if that works. It will make the time pass while you recline with your foot pointed straight up. Lay off the salty snacks!

 

[turbo]

An icepack may or may not do the trick, Woolie. If I were in your position, I would wrap the booted foot in a sturdy plastic bag (so the boot won't get wet) and immerse it in a 5-gallon pail filled with water, ice cubes, and lots of table salt. That will chill your foot off as quickly as possible, and maybe the swelling will go down enough to let you pry the boot off. The water is good for rapid heat transfer, and the salt is there to melt the ice more rapidly, absorbing the heat from your foot as the latent heat of the phase-change from ice to water is accelerated.

Edit: Use a plastic pail, not a metal one, so the melting ice will derive its heat from you, not from the surrounding air.

 

[berkeman]

Er, how is he supposed to ice his foot with the boot stuck on? I suppose he could pour ice-cold water down into the boot, then elevate for a while, then more water, then elevate for a while. Except the part where the ice water runs back up the pants leg doesn't sound like much fun...

 

[Evo]

Er, how is he supposed to ice his foot with the boot stuck on? I suppose he could pour ice-cold water down into the boot, then elevate for a while, then more water, then elevate for a while. Except the part where the ice water runs back up the pants leg doesn't sound like much fun...

With the water, ice and salt, the cold should be enough to penetrate the boot. I know in the winter even with waterproof insulated boots and socks, my toes still turn blue after awhile.

 

[wolram]

An icepack may or may not do the trick, Woolie. If I were in your position, I would wrap the booted foot in a sturdy plastic bag (so the boot won't get wet) and immerse it in a 5-gallon pail filled with water, ice cubes, and lots of table salt. That will chill your foot off as quickly as possible, and maybe the swelling will go down enough to let you pry the boot off. The water is good for rapid heat transfer, and the salt is there to melt the ice more rapidly, absorbing the heat from your foot as the latent heat of the phase-change from ice to water is accelerated.

Edit: Use a plastic pail, not a metal one, so the melting ice will derive its heat from you, not from the surrounding air.

I will give it a try, my boots cost me £55 so the last thing i want to do is ruin them.

 

[Monique]

just poor in a lot of melted butter and dishwashing soap and you'll have the boot off in no time

 

[turbo]

just poor in a lot of melted butter and dishwashing soap and you'll have the boot off in no time

Leave out the soap and use garlic butter, Woolie! Then you can use your boot to bake escargots in afterward. If your feet are stinky enough, the boot may impart a hint of truffle flavor to the snails. :yuck:

 

[Astronuc]

Go with hypatia's advice. Lie down and raise your leg above the body. It sounds like swelling of the leg.

Maybe take some aspirin to dilate the blood vessels. A shot of scotch would be good too!

Don't you have a neighbor or friend you could call for assistance? Of course, they would have to be a really good friend.

 

[wolram]

With the water, ice and salt, the cold should be enough to penetrate the boot. I know in the winter even with waterproof insulated boots and socks, my toes still turn blue after awhile.

You should get some woolen bikers socks, they are much better at keeping tooties warm, much better than female socks.

 

[wolram]

Go with hypatia's advice. Lie down and raise your leg above the body. It sounds like swelling of the leg.

Maybe take some aspirin to dilate the blood vessels. A shot of scotch would be good too!

Don't you have a neighbor or friend you could call for assistance? Of course, they would have to be a really good friend.

I am to isolated, the next house to me is for sale and i never see the people on the other side, i am getting a little worried now as things seem a bit wet an sticky.

 

[Evo]

I am to isolated, the next house to me is for sale and i never see the people on the other side, i am getting a little worried now as things seem a bit wet an sticky.

Smushed the poisonous spider that was in your boot?

 

[wolram]

just poor in a lot of melted butter and dishwashing soap and you'll have the boot off in no time

That will ruin my boots, they are only a few months old, and £55 would pay for the new advance retard unit i need.

 

[chemisttree]

Rather than try to cool your foot, I would place the boot in a hot tub. If it is rubber, the heat will soften it and make it easier to remove. It'll feel good too. How cold is it today where you are?

 

[wolram]

Smushed the poisonous spider that was in your boot?

I am determined to meet you one day, just so that i can tease you.

 

[turbo]

I am to isolated, the next house to me is for sale and i never see the people on the other side, i am getting a little worried now as things seem a bit wet an sticky.

Then do the ice/water/salt trick as soon as you can and get the swelling down. If you have injured your foot, the compression of a tight boot will prevent your body's natural responses (flushing, swelling, increased blood flow) from doing its job.

 

[Evo]

Got leeches?

 

[wolram]

Rather than try to cool your foot, I would place the boot in a hot tub. If it is rubber, the heat will soften it and make it easier to remove. It'll feel good too. How cold is it today where you are?

It is about 65f quite amazing, i could hardly believe the thermometer as i feel cold.

 

[Moonbear]

Well, if it's injured, the rule around the farm is you DON'T take the boot off until you get to the ER and have them remove it for you. The boot helps with compression.

But, if you just want the boot off, then along with the advice to elevate your foot, and drink lots of cold water (get your whole body temperature down if your feet are just swelling from heat, or if you are for some reason overly salty today ), can you fit a slender stick down the side? Maybe you just swelled up enough with enough sweat to create a vacuum down near your toes somewhere that's keeping you from getting your foot out, and sliding a stick (or old coat hanger maybe) down would break the "seal."

Otherwise, I agree with the other suggestion to put the other boot back on so you at least solve the problem of looking silly walking around with just one boot.

 

[wolram]

Ok, i feel a right dick head now, one booted foot in a bucket of iced water,
I don't have any pills, i never use them.

 

[berkeman]

Hey, sorry I didn't think of this before. Pour a bunch of baby/talcum powder down into the boot. It won't hurt the boot like ice water would. In addition to elevating for a while, this will probably turn the trick. You have been elevating all this time, right?

 

[wolram]

Well, if it's injured, the rule around the farm is you DON'T take the boot off until you get to the ER and have them remove it for you. The boot helps with compression.

But, if you just want the boot off, then along with the advice to elevate your foot, and drink lots of cold water (get your whole body temperature down if your feet are just swelling from heat, or if you are for some reason overly salty today ), can you fit a slender stick down the side? Maybe you just swelled up enough with enough sweat to create a vacuum down near your toes somewhere that's keeping you from getting your foot out, and sliding a stick (or old coat hanger maybe) down would break the "seal."

Otherwise, I agree with the other suggestion to put the other boot back on so you at least solve the problem of looking silly walking around with just one boot.

I did stick a steel 24inch rule i have down an it looked quite bloody on the tip,
i think i have rubbed the skin off.

 

[wolram]

Hey, sorry I didn't think of this before. Pour a bunch of baby/talcum powder down into the boot. It won't hurt the boot like ice water would. In addition to elevating for a while, this will probably turn the trick. You have been elevating all this time, right?

No i have my boot in a bucket of iced water, i can not see how i can do both
at the same time.

 

[berkeman]

No i have my boot in a bucket of iced water, i can not see how i can do both
at the same time.

No, no, no. The bucket of ice water is shrinking the boot material, and not delivering enough cold to your skin to help. What material are these boots made of anyway? (sorry if you already covered that).

Cold water would help if it could go inside the boot, but outside I don't think it will help. My advice would be to pour in the talcum powder and elevate for 15 minutes, then try again.

Quiz question -- how many posters does it take to help woolie remove his boot?