A few months ago I went to get measured for a new pair of super-strong orthotic boots that’ll help protect me from my ankle-turning tics.

I’ve already had several pairs of specially reinforced boots, but they’ve always been ordered ready-made from medical catalogues and they haven’t gone as high up my leg as I need. As a result I’ve gone through numerous pairs of ankle splints. They wear out and loosen quickly and don’t provide the rigid support I need to stop my ankles turning over, over and over again.

My orthotist decided a specially made pair of boots might be a better a solution and I went to pick them up today. They’re very tough and hold my ankles stiller than they’ve been for years, as long as I make sure my heels are flat down when I pull the laces tight, and I don’t try to do them up mid-tic. They give me a much more stable base which should help me walk more safely.

My friend Lucy, who I bumped into at the hospital, pointed out that if I ticced and hit someone with these super-sturdy boots on, it would be quite a wallop. But fortunately, because they’ve been made with me in mind, they’re fastened in a way that makes them easy to whip off should I have a ‘ticcing fit’.

These smart boots join a number of other items that make up my tic-protection wardrobe. While they might not be everyone’s idea of fashionable footwear, I’m very glad to have them.