Medical Cam Walker Boots

What are Cam Walker Boots, & what does CAM stand for?

What does the CAM stand for? CAM stands for controlled, ankle, motion. Unlike casts, cam boots are adjustable, reusable, and fully removable medical boots that increase support your foot during the healing process after an injury. These boots come in many different sizes (short or tall) and features (air and non-air). Depending on what type of injury you have, a tall boot walker may be more beneficial compared to a short cam walker. In addition, you can choose to have a pneumatic air feature on your boot or have a non-air boot.

The air feature is extremely important for post-surgery patients because it is necessary to reduce swelling, pain, and improve the healing time of the injury. With this feature, you can control the level and amount of air that is pumped into the boot to support the foot.

Having a hard time figuring out which features you need? Our "Which Walker Boot is Right for Me?" blog post will help educate you on the benefits of each of the different features.

Here are some injuries that recommend wearing a tall air cam walker:

• Acute Ankle Sprains

• Toe Fracture

• Metatarsal Stress Fracture

• Foot Fracture or Break

• Post Achilles Tendinitis Surgery

Some injuries that recommend a short air cam boot:

• Lisfranc Injury

• Read more on the lisfranc injury and surgery on our blog post.

• Toe Fracture

• Metatarsal Stress Fracture

• Post Achilles Tendinitis Surgery

A few injuries that don’t require the air pump feature:

• Post-Bunion Surgery

• Heel Pain

Check out a variety of our foot braces and supports in case a cam walker boot isn’t necessary for your injury.

Benefits of Medical Cam Walking Boots

There are multiple benefits that come with choosing a walker boot over a cast. Here are just a few examples:

• These cam walkers are easily removed and taken off, which makes it convenient to shower and isn’t permanently on your foot.

• Plastic casts also tend to become looser as time passes while wearing it. This ultimately can halt or slow down recovery time, whereas cam boots for foot fractures can be tightened every time to the desired level of comfort.

• Cam walkers usually allow you to walk even with the most intensive injuries, they are meant to completely stabilize the leg, restricting any movement in the foot.

• Another benefit is that these boots position and fix your ankle at 90 degrees, which can be especially helpful when healing. The degree can also be accommodated for different types of injuries to the ankle or foot.

Tips when wearing a Cam Walker Fracture Boot

Although wearing a walking boot obviously isn’t the most comfortable and convenient, there are many ways to help override the discomfort and make time in a boot bearable.

Some tips for helping you wear a medical boot:

• When buying a cam walker, make sure that it completely fits your ankle. Never buy an oversized or undersized boot because it could cause future harm to the injury. Think about how your shoe normally should feel and fit, and choose an air cam boot that feels remotely the same.

• Pair a walking boot with an initial bandage or sock liner before placing the boot on your foot. This not only helps remove the rubbing that might occur from the boot but helps to add extra support to the injury.

• When putting on the air cam walker, slowly place your foot into the boot. It helps to make sure that it is placed correctly before positioning the velcro straps. In addition, never pull the straps too tight that it cuts out blood circulation.

Avoid further injury—preventing knee, hip, and back pain—due to leg length discrepancy when wearing a medical shoe 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 shoe safe and pain free.

Pairing Sock Liners with Cam Boots

Pairing a sock liner underneath your cam walking boot is advised for many different reasons. Although it can be a personal preference, it’s very beneficial for every injury. These socks can help prevent the foot from getting dry during different weather conditions. Also, medical sock liners can help promote circulation in the foot and prevent any rubbing that would occur from the boot.

Compared to other retail stores such as CVS, Walmart, or Walmart, BraceAbility’s sock liners can be paired with any of our cam walkers, whether short, tall, air or non-air, these liners fit perfectly with each.

These sock liners are essential to use with those who have diabetes. These patients struggle with ulcers due to the poor circulation in their feet. Sock liners not only encourage adequate blood circulation but helps ward off against infections that could occur from these boots.