6 Tips For Wearing A Walking Boot – Healing At Its Best

Healing can be painful. If you want proof of that, look no further than at walking boots. While they help us heal our ankles, surviving them isn’t a piece of cake for everyone. 

Many people reported aches in their joints and foot while using a walking boot. One reason is that it’s less flexible to ensure greater functionality. However, you can keep the discomfort to a minimum with proper care and caution while your foot heals.

 

6 Convenient Tips For Wearing A Walking Boot

Becoming a little bit cautious with patience will go a long way. Following a few steps may seem bothersome, but they’ll help you get back to your normal state quicker. So let’s see the things you can do to accelerate your healing procedure.

 

1. Never Neglect Your Doctor’s Advice

Everyone knows it’s the right thing to do yet fails to follow the instructions. Neglecting your doctor’s instructions will only bring you pain and long-term damage to the foot.

Not all foot injuries are the same. That is why it’s crucial that you strictly follow what your physician suggests. For example, some injuries may require more rest and less movement. On the contrary, some may require you to perform exercises.

Your doctor will likely instruct you to walk for a fixed duration regularly. If you feel like it’s becoming too much for your foot, you can adjust it according to your comfort. If you still notice your foot swelling, don’t be late to contact your doctor.

 

2. Be Careful Towards Your Injury

When wearing a walking boot, don’t rush. Instead, care for the injury and use delicate hands. Also, don’t put pressure on the injured area. Lastly, follow your physician’s tips for wearing a walking boot.

In case you want to remove your boot, loosen the belt and the straps. Don’t exhaust your injured leg.

 

3. No Wet Boots

Never walk while wearing a wet walking boot. It can infect your injured foot and worsen the condition. That’s the last thing you want.

Besides, an infection or swell can lengthen your recovery time. It would be best if you were very careful not to wear wet boots.

What about taking a shower? Well, keep your feet dry. You can use a plastic waterproof bag to wrap your foot. In addition, you can walk in the rain wearing this too.

Your foot can also become wet when you sweat. So, it’s better to use thick socks with higher absorption power so your boot won’t be wet even when you’re sweating.

 

4. Avoid Bending Your Knee

When wearing a walking boot, bending your knee while walking can strain your foot, resulting in pain. So, try to keep your knee straight when you walk. However, if it’s uncomfortable for you, find a comfortable walking posture and follow that.

Also, take small steps. Do not walk as if you’re okay because you’re not. The more careful you act, the quicker you’ll heal.

 

5. Balance Your Feet

Make sure both your feet are in balance. You can use a shoe balancer at the bottom of your shoe to level with the walking boot. A shoe balancer will help you walk with ease and reduces pain.

You can also use a cane or a crutch to walk if it makes it easier for you. Using a crutch can help you when you’re wearing a walking boot.

 

6. Get Your Boot Right

You should always go for a walking boot that fits your foot without difficulties. If your boot is smaller than your foot, you may have trouble walking. Besides, in case your foot swells, it won’t have enough space inside to be comfortable.

In addition, friction between a tight boot and your injury can cause further infection. So, finding the right size walking boot is essential.

Even though your foot needs space, getting a larger boot than necessary will also invite unnecessary discomfort. You will feel your foot slipping inside the boot, which you can guess isn’t very convenient.

If it’s possible, consult your doctor when buying yourself a walking boot.

 

Have You Heard Of The ‘RICE’ Method? 

The RICE method helps you keep the swelling in control. If you can keep the following four things in mind, you’ll feel a lot better than usual with a walking boot.

Rest

Being allowed to walk doesn’t mean you have to test your injury’s boundaries. So, Keep your walking to a minimum. The more you rest, the more chance your foot and joints will get to heal.

No matter how bored you get while sitting around the house, you must show patience if you want your injury to heal. Stressing your foot and ankle more than they will only increase your boot-wearing period.

Ice

Using ice is a great way to reduce swelling and get some comfort when you’re in pain. So keep your pack loaded with ice packs.

Avoid directly putting the pack on your wound. Instead, wrap it with a cloth and then use it. When the ice is completely melted, replace it with a new one.

Compression

Compression socks are a great way to help you get some comfort. However, if you have a broken bone and the injury is new, you shouldn’t push it to the limit.

Once your foot starts to heal, and you can use compression socks without feeling much pain, you’re good to go. Some walking boots come with pneumatic pumps to help you get compression to the injury.

Elevate

Your doctor must’ve already told you how elevating your foot can help you feel better. Keeping your feet in an upper position than your heart can offer you more comfort. You’ll be surprised to see how much it can help you.

 

How To Take Care Of Your Walking Boot?

Taking care of your walking boot will make you feel clean and fresh. The process isn’t much complicated either. You only have to clean the liners.

Use water. And mild soap. That should do it. Washing the liners once a week is all the maintenance your boot needs.

Don’t use your dryer to make the boot dry. Instead, let it air dry. In addition, avoid wearing the boot longer than your doctor suggests.

 

How To Wear A Walking Boot?

Using a sock before wearing your walking boot is compulsory. Why? Because they prevent your foot from getting in contact with the boot, which eliminates any chance of irritation.

Socks can absorb your sweat, making it safer for you to walk in your boot. In addition, socks can provide you with soft support, which you need on your injured foot.

Carefully put on a sock that’s ankle-high or mid-calf high. Then, place your foot inside the walking boot liner. Your heel should rest on your boot’s heel without any discomfort.

When you’re fastening the straps, start with the toe area, then move on to the lower leg areas. Tighten the straps as necessary. Remember that the motive of a walking boot is to limit your leg’s mobilization to help you heal more quickly.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How tight should my walking boot be?

A Walking boot should be tight enough to limit your mobility. It’s better to have your doctor decide on the tightness. But, if you’re doing it on your own, make sure your foot isn’t slipping inside the boot.

 

Q. Can I exercise while wearing a walking boot?

Upper body exercises that don’t require using your legs can be performed while wearing a walking boot. In comparison, you should avoid leg exercises like running at all costs.

You should avoid any pressure on your injured leg unless your doctor says it’s okay.

 

Q. Should I walk while wearing a walking boot?

If your doctor suggests you bedrest, you should avoid walking as much as you can. Instead, use a crutch if you must walk. This way, your leg won’t have to bear much pressure.

However, depending on your injury type, the doctor may suggest you regularly walk for a specific duration.

 

Q. Is it normal to feel back pain when using a walking boot? 

When you walk wearing a walking boot, your legs don’t stay on the same level. Overall, the whole process isn’t normal. So, it’s normal to experience aches and pain. However, if you experience anything severe or out of the ordinary, you should consult your doctor without delay.

 

Final Words

If you find yourself in a walking boot, don’t give up on all your hopes. Like it or not, life happens. But an incident doesn’t have to be all bitter.

With your family around you and the right tips for wearing a walking boot, your journey will be far less painful than you thought. Follow everything that your doctor has to say, and avoid stressing your leg. If you’re patient enough, the recovery time will drastically reduce.

To sum it up, take care of yourself, be gentle about the injury, and make your walking boot experience as good as it can get.

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