Choosing the Right BraceAbility Walking Boot for a Broken Foot
There are many factors to consider when one injures their feet, toes, or ankle. It can be challenging not to become overwhelmed by the different types of braces, materials, and features available. Removable casts and braces are becoming extremely popular compared to the classic plastic model. Medical boots for a broken foot tend to be lighter and more comfortable whereas casts can result in skin irritation, difficulty washing your foot, and being too tight. BraceAbility has a large selection of different types and features for each specific product compared to CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart.
How do you know which boot to choose? There are two primary types of boots for broken toes, these being a tall walking boot or a short walking boot. In order for one to heal appropriately, they should consider which boot would work best for one’s type of injury. Short walking boots are typical for post-operative foot surgery, metatarsal and digital fractures as well as soft tissue trauma of the foot and ankle. Tall walking boots are common for acute ankle sprains, stress fractures of the lower leg, soft tissue injuries of the lower leg, stable fractures of the foot and ankle and post-operatively.
Another consideration one must look at is whether they should buy an open or closed boot for a broken foot. This closed toe walking shoe helps protect the foot and toes from the chance of infection and keeps the foot warm while maintaining stabilization. During the colder or wetter months, the closed toe boot keeps the foot dry from different weather conditions. It also protects one from openly hitting it against another surface, which could potentially further one’s injury. This closed toe medical walking protection boot is commonly used following surgeries because it keeps the swelling to a minimum and is the most supportive.
The open surgical shoe is another option to choose from when deciding which product best suits one’s foot injury. This postoperative shoe allows the area to breathe and has wide toe space for additional bandages. It is also commonly used post surgery because of the amount of swelling that comes along with the aftermath.
Choosing between a pneumatic or non-pneumatic is another additional feature available. The pneumatic feature of the air boot allows the patient to inflate an air bladder for compression, increasing stabilization of one’s injury. This pneumatic air walking boot is ideally used after surgery because it helps to reduce pain, swelling, and improve healing time. It also helps prevent movement within the walker boot.
Ways to Wear an Orthopedic Boot or Shoe for a Broken Foot or Toe
Injuring one’s foot, toe or ankle is never a fun experience. Whether one is wearing BraceAbility short air cast walking boot, tall walking orthopedic cam walker boot, or stress fracture walking boot, there are many ways to help support and make one’s healing process comfortable.
When wearing a boot for a broken toe, foot or ankle, it’s highly recommended to wear a shoe equally as tall as one’s walking boot. If the shoe one is pairing with the medical boot is shorter or taller, it will result in elevated contralateral peak plantar pressures. Aside from equal height, it’s advised to wear an athletic shoe. Athletic shoes help support and help absorb the impact of pressures resulting from the medical boot.
For an injury like a stress fracture, another technique to help provide added stabilization to your foot is to wear an arch support with one’s air boot cast. Foot insoles come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials. The most common foot insoles for a broken toe walking boot are made of foam or gel to easily conform to the injured foot. When wearing a cast boot or a post-operative surgical shoe, it’s beneficial to wear foot liners to help avoid irritation. Check out our selection of other insoles and heel cushions to fit one’s specific need.
One great addition to your boot to help ease the pain of one’s injury is sock liners. These sock liners help promote circulation as well as reduce irritation and rubbing from the cam boot walkers. Many of these boot liners come in tall or short and are manufactured to help keep the foot warm, dry, and comfortable.
Another commonly asked question when dealing with the discomfort of these orthopedic boots is whether or not to sleep with them on. It is advised to sleep with one’s walking boot on but with the straps loosened for optimal comfort. A helpful tip when sleeping with one’s boot on is to surround the leg with pillows to make sure the injured foot is supported. This will also make it unlikely for one to displace their foot, leading to further injury. Ultimately, whether or not one should sleep in their foot brace is based upon the severity and type of injury of their foot. Make sure to speak with a medical professional before doing so.
Avoid further injury—preventing knee, hip, and back pain—due to leg length discrepancy when wearing a walking boot with the Evenup Shoe Balancer. The Evenup is the easy way to “even up” leg length from your hip to the sole of your foot, making walking with a boot safe and pain free.
Finally, one should make sure to take frequent breaks from walking to encourage rapid healing. Even though these air boots for broken foot are a light alternative to casts, they still take a toll on one’s foot when wearing them for a long period of time. During the recovery process, it is recommended to incorporate the R.I.C.E treatment method to help with pain and discomfort. This acronym stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For further details, check out our blog post about the R.I.C.E. method.
Signs & Symptoms of a Broken Foot, Toe or Ankle
Foot injuries are very prevalent and could happen to anyone. It’s extremely important to recognize these symptoms and seek medical attention before the injury worsens.
Common symptoms of a broken foot or ankle include:
- Pain or tenderness in the area
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Loss of mobility
- Change in appearance
- Blisters on your feet (at the site of injury)
While there are many different types of injuries that can occur to one’s foot, ankle, or toe, some are more common than others. For adults, it is more likely for fractures to arise because of the bone loss and muscle mass due to aging. Whereas children or teens are more likely to break or severely injure their feet because of sports and other activities.
Other common injuries that occur to one’s foot:
- Lisfranc Injury: lisfranc is the point at which the metatarsal bones and the tarsal bones connect. There are three different types of lisfranc injuries:
- Sprains
- Fractures
- Dislocations
Check out our blog post to learn more about the symptoms, treatments, and causes of lisfranc injuries.
- 5th Metatarsal Fracture: 5th metatarsal is the long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the little toe. Two common injuries that occur to this bone include:
- Avulsion fracture: a small piece of bone is pulled off the main portion of the bone by a tendon or ligament.
- Jones fracture: occur in a small area of the fifth metatarsal that receives less blood and is, therefore, more prone to difficulties in healing.
- Stress Fracture: small crack or severe bruising within a bone. See all BraceAbility’s treatment options for foot stress fractures.
- Plantar Fasciitis: pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, running across the bottom of your foot connecting one’s heel bone to their toes. Diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis? Find the perfect plantar fasciitis treatments.
- Bunions: occurs when one’s big toe pushes up against another toe, forcing the joint of one’s big toe to stick out. Check out our selection of bunion splints.
- Sprained Ankle: stretching or tearing of the ligaments.
- Turf Toe: sprain in the joint of the large toe. Try our turf toe wrap to help ease pain and speed up the healing process.