new ankle brace and flying worries

Hi all,
I just got a new MAJOR ankle brace. There is a steel shank inside the
sole of my shoe (they cut the sole, then glued it back together). then
there's a channel cut into the sides of the heel of the shoe and a
metal bar runs through that and is attached at either side to metal
posts which run up the sides of my leg to a leather strap just below
the knee. couldn't find a picture of this, which would make it much
easier to explain!

anyway, i'm slowly adjusting to this heavy brace and think i'll
ultimately like it better than my lace up leather brace that i wore
inside my shoe. however, the brace-maker guy said the security people
at the airline would "be all over it." so i got a letter from my
doctor saying it's a prescribed medical device. but i just talked to a
friend who wears a similar brace. at the security area in the airport,
they detected fertilizer on his shoe (he didn't know how it got there)
and that could be used to make a bomb, so they sliced the sole off his
shoe to check, thus ruining the brace. i'm thinking i will pack this
brace and wear my old leather one for the flights, although i'd rather
be able to wear this one, but i sure don't want them to slice this one
apart.

has anyone had any experience going through security with a brace?

thanks, diane

Yes -- not ankle but wrist and everything must come off. Once I forgot
one in the hustle and they ran that sniffer thing all over it.
Also they make me walk barefoot through the detector arch but they do
hand you a wooden cane [usually one for giants] for stability. Next you
wait in this holding pen for a female guard. You walk forward a good
distance still barefoot to chairs. You get to sit and lift your feet so
they can look at the bottom of your bare soles. Next you stand on two
footprints on this mat with legs apart and arms straight out in the air
with the palms facing up toward the ceiling. This is where all the metal
you are either wearing or have embedded will be buzzed and then patted
down -- artificial knees, metal implant in wrist, metal necklace, and my
favorite -- underwire bra wires.
If you request a wheelchair from the curbside check-in to the gate this
process will go better and depending on the guy pushing you, you might
be able to tell him you can't walk without the brace -- you can take off
the leather one and your shoes but might be able to sit in the
wheelchair through a backdoor area. I have lucked out on that a couple
of times. They take the wheelchair back through and hand search it while
they leave you sitting in the chairs waiting for the female guard.
I just flew to Nashville twice in the last two months.
Be sure to take a sandwich.
Duckie

Diane wrote:

> Hi all,
> I just got a new MAJOR ankle brace. There is a steel shank inside the
> sole of my shoe (they cut the sole, then glued it back together). then
> there's a channel cut into the sides of the heel of the shoe and a
> metal bar runs through that and is attached at either side to metal
> posts which run up the sides of my leg to a leather strap just below
> the knee. couldn't find a picture of this, which would make it much
> easier to explain!
>
> anyway, i'm slowly adjusting to this heavy brace and think i'll
> ultimately like it better than my lace up leather brace that i wore
> inside my shoe. however, the brace-maker guy said the security people
> at the airline would "be all over it." so i got a letter from my
> doctor saying it's a prescribed medical device. but i just talked to a
> friend who wears a similar brace. at the security area in the airport,
> they detected fertilizer on his shoe (he didn't know how it got there)
> and that could be used to make a bomb, so they sliced the sole off his
> shoe to check, thus ruining the brace. i'm thinking i will pack this
> brace and wear my old leather one for the flights, although i'd rather
> be able to wear this one, but i sure don't want them to slice this one
> apart.
>
> has anyone had any experience going through security with a brace?
>
> thanks, diane
>

Diane wrote:
> Hi all,
> I just got a new MAJOR ankle brace.

Ditch the metal brace and go leather. If you have a tough time making it
to your gate (or from) ask for a wheelchair.

These guys can destroy your brace and face no consequences. What will
you do when at your destination w/o your new brace?

out of curiosity, did you friend wear the brace going through security or
take it off and send it through the machine? It really seems to me that they
should be able to tell if there's a hidden compartment in the shoe by running
it through the machine. I've only worn wrist/thumb braces when flying and I
always take them off for security. Sometimes they tell me I don't have too,
but they have enough metal in them that I prefer to. It's easier than being
scanned.
If you really want to travel in the new brace, you might email the TSA
through their website and ask them about the best procedure for doing so and
mention your friend's experience that has you really worried. Or if you wear
the leather brace and pack the mega one, insist on a wheelchair so you don't
kill your ankle walking around.

I hope this new brace lives up to its promise! From your description, it
sounds like it might strengthen your leg muscles while supporting your ankle,
heehee. And just to show what too many on this group have been doing lately,
at first glance I though the subject line said *falling* worries!

--
Nann
remove the Gator cheer to email me
Change everything. Love & forgive.

i think i'm going to take paul's advice and pack the metal brace and
wear the leather one. i've flown many times with the leather one. it's
a pain to undo all the laces, but i go into a meditative state as i
approach the the security area. i allow lots of time, and i tell
people to go around me as i take my good time removing my laptop from
its case, taking off my sneakers, unlacing my brace, etc. i don't rush
and it keeps me feeling very calm and un-angry. i'm afraid the metal
brace, given my friend's experience, would make me jittery since i
wouldn't know what might befall it. of course, i'm flying to seattle,
and the last two times my sister-in-law flew from the east coast to
seattle, they lost her luggage, so the brace may end up being a goner
anyway. =:-0

nann, because there is a hollow area inside the sole of the sneaker
where the metal shank goes, i suppose someone could stuff something in
there. the "sniffer" picked up fertilizer on my friend's shoes, which
can be used to make a bomb. thus the cutting open of the shoe.

i've already arranged for wheelchairs, so i've got that covered. i
recall years ago (before 9/11) getting a wheelchair at heathrow and
the guy pushing the chair actually took me across the tarmac as a
shortcut! i've also used my frequent flyer mileage to upgrade to first
class. heaven!

diane

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:36b7ff32-e107-4ade-9c54-d3bacbe889ca@e53g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
i think i'm going to take paul's advice and pack the metal brace and
wear the leather one. i've flown many times with the leather one. it's
a pain to undo all the laces, but i go into a meditative state as i
approach the the security area. i allow lots of time, and i tell
people to go around me as i take my good time removing my laptop from
its case, taking off my sneakers, unlacing my brace, etc. i don't rush
and it keeps me feeling very calm and un-angry. i'm afraid the metal
brace, given my friend's experience, would make me jittery since i
wouldn't know what might befall it. of course, i'm flying to seattle,
and the last two times my sister-in-law flew from the east coast to
seattle, they lost her luggage, so the brace may end up being a goner
anyway. =:-0

nann, because there is a hollow area inside the sole of the sneaker
where the metal shank goes, i suppose someone could stuff something in
there. the "sniffer" picked up fertilizer on my friend's shoes, which
can be used to make a bomb. thus the cutting open of the shoe.

i've already arranged for wheelchairs, so i've got that covered. i
recall years ago (before 9/11) getting a wheelchair at heathrow and
the guy pushing the chair actually took me across the tarmac as a
shortcut! i've also used my frequent flyer mileage to upgrade to first
class. heaven!

diane

yeppers. i agree with paul too. first class sounds like a comfy winner to
me.<smile> your friend could have walked across a lawn or a small patch of
of recently fertilized grass, at any time within the past several months,
and not cleaned his shoes. and that could have caused the sniffer to pick
it up.

you're going to seattle? book tour??? if so, where??? maybe i can get
there to see you.

kate

Hi,
no braces but I have 7 joint replacements so I always have an extended time
going through security. So far I've managed to always keep my shoes on.
First I tell them I can't walk without them and when I'm getting wanded if
they want them off i tell them fine but they have to put them back on
because i can't without my shoe horn..so far its worked. I'm not even lying
to them either!!!

Get the wheelchair though...it will make things easier

Karen

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:6c31476d-676a-4c55-ad9d-9263e48973a0@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all,
> I just got a new MAJOR ankle brace. There is a steel shank inside the
> sole of my shoe (they cut the sole, then glued it back together). then
> there's a channel cut into the sides of the heel of the shoe and a
> metal bar runs through that and is attached at either side to metal
> posts which run up the sides of my leg to a leather strap just below
> the knee. couldn't find a picture of this, which would make it much
> easier to explain!
>
> anyway, i'm slowly adjusting to this heavy brace and think i'll
> ultimately like it better than my lace up leather brace that i wore
> inside my shoe. however, the brace-maker guy said the security people
> at the airline would "be all over it." so i got a letter from my
> doctor saying it's a prescribed medical device. but i just talked to a
> friend who wears a similar brace. at the security area in the airport,
> they detected fertilizer on his shoe (he didn't know how it got there)
> and that could be used to make a bomb, so they sliced the sole off his
> shoe to check, thus ruining the brace. i'm thinking i will pack this
> brace and wear my old leather one for the flights, although i'd rather
> be able to wear this one, but i sure don't want them to slice this one
> apart.
>
> has anyone had any experience going through security with a brace?
>
> thanks, diane
>

kate, i'm actually just flying into seattle, then renting a car and
driving to bellingham (hi carole!) for my niece's wedding. i'll be
there a few days and then fly to san jose for a granddaughter fix. i
wish i could see you, but it's going to be a busy little trip. :-(

diane

I am not far from San Jose -- it is actually an easier airport to manage
than Oakland when SF won't do.
Weather here is fab but heading toward warmer for the weekend. Of
course, further south it probably is even hotter. I'll send you my phone
number just in case you get a break from grandmommy hugs.
Duckie

Diane wrote:

> kate, i'm actually just flying into seattle, then renting a car and
> driving to bellingham (hi carole!) for my niece's wedding. i'll be
> there a few days and then fly to san jose for a granddaughter fix. i
> wish i could see you, but it's going to be a busy little trip. :-(
>
> diane
>
>
>

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:3f83b65a-7335-4cec-b0ea-4a169ca30cda@w7g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
kate, i'm actually just flying into seattle, then renting a car and
driving to bellingham (hi carole!) for my niece's wedding. i'll be
there a few days and then fly to san jose for a granddaughter fix. i
wish i could see you, but it's going to be a busy little trip. :-(

diane

sounds like a thoroughly fun trip. grandchildren fixes are the best! you
have a wonderful time, diane.

kate

Well, I just got back from my ten-day vacation last night. Vacation!
What a concept. I can't remember my last one. but i digress. . .
anyhow, i went through security three times on this trip. the first
two times, i packed my new brace in my check on luggage because i was
so afraid of them cutting it open as was mentioned here. on my final
flight yesterday, i decided to wear it. i took it off to go through
the xray machine, and it went through without anyone batting an eye.
yay! i love this brace. it's ugly, but i can walk much better with it,
so i was happy to see that i can probably get through security with it
when i travel, especially since i have the note from my doctor,
although no one asked for it.

i know, tho, that security is uneven. last year, i went through with
my swiss army knife in my purse (i forgot it was there) and they
didn't catch that either.

hugs all,

diane

That's just great that security slid you on through! I hope you can
successfully travel with it that way in the future. Hmmm, do you have a
statement from you insurance company or a bill from the orthotic maker you
could carry with your doctor's note? That might be even more convincing if
you meet up with an overzealous TSA person.

Isn't it something how we adjust to setting aside vanity for better function?
I've had people tsk-tsk at my wrist/thumb braces and I explain to them that
I see my braces as friends! If only they could find a way to make them less
hot!

--
Nann
remove the Gator cheer to email me
Change everything. Love & forgive.



On Tue, 27 May 2008 8:38:26 -0400, Diane wrote
(in message
<92fbfb8d-7973-4df3-b4f3-a74e8a34662b@f36g2000hsa.googlegroups.com>):

> Well, I just got back from my ten-day vacation last night. Vacation!
> What a concept. I can't remember my last one. but i digress. . .
> anyhow, i went through security three times on this trip. the first
> two times, i packed my new brace in my check on luggage because i was
> so afraid of them cutting it open as was mentioned here. on my final
> flight yesterday, i decided to wear it. i took it off to go through
> the xray machine, and it went through without anyone batting an eye.
> yay! i love this brace. it's ugly, but i can walk much better with it,
> so i was happy to see that i can probably get through security with it
> when i travel, especially since i have the note from my doctor,
> although no one asked for it.
>
> i know, tho, that security is uneven. last year, i went through with
> my swiss army knife in my purse (i forgot it was there) and they
> didn't catch that either.
>
> hugs all,
>
> diane