A dancer left in a wheelchair due to a sudden rare neurological condition discovered she can now walk – in UGGs.
Yasmine Gibb, 30, suffers from functional neurological disorder (FND), a nervous system condition which causes seizures, wobbly legs and exhaustion.
Earlier this year, she went from competing in triathlons to barely being able to walk before she was diagnosed with FND in July, and said her right leg often gives way. But Yasmine, from Glasgow, said she was amazed to discover she was able to walk normally walk again – thanks to a pair of UGGs.
She said the boots, which have come back into fashion recently, allow her to walk without wobbling. Irish dancer Yasmine said: “I was wearing UGG slippers when I was on holiday in Madrid and realised they weren’t causing me as much pain to walk.
“I changed into Converse and I would be in agony, so I thought I would order myself a pair of UGG boots for when I got home.
“It was amazing when I put them on, I could walk.
“It was such a good feeling because I was worried my brain was going to have forgotten how to walk properly. I got them November 5 and they haven’t been off my feet since.
“I think the raised platform helps because it keeps my right heel off the ground as well as having my ankle fully supported.
“They have really come back into fashion recently – I used to hate them. I did have a pair back in the day and I am furious I chucked them out because they are so expensive now.”
Yasmine bought a pair for £160 and is hoping to get another pair for Christmas. She still has to use a crutch or wheelchair on bad days but was delighted to be able to walk her dogs in the UGGs.
Yasmine said: “I paid £160 for them but it is totally worth it to be able to walk again. I would like to buy more pairs but they are pricey, I have been asking my partner and my mum to buy me some for Christmas.
“For the last five months, I have been desperate to take my dogs out for a walk so I did that after I got the UGGs and it felt great. I could walk without worrying my leg was going to collapse underneath me, it was the first time I could trust my body in five months.”
Yasmine is starting a podcast called the FND Diaries where she hopes to help others with the disorder by sharing helpful tips and tricks. The hotel services manager recently lost her voice but got it back using an incredible hack she was told about on TikTok.
She said: “I lost my speech for two days and didn’t know what to do until someone messaged me on TikTok saying to try and blow bubbles in water.
“After about five minutes of blowing bubbles through a straw into a bottle of water I got my speech back.
“I am starting a podcast with another FND sufferer where we can share hacks and tips and tricks to help each other because there is not much help out there.”
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