The Hidden Danger of CAM Walking Boots

Have you ever tried to treat a symptom, only to find that the treatment lead to other seemingly unrelated problems? For example, maybe you may have been prescribed a medicine that created harmful side effects.

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That is similar to what a group of patients are reporting, when they were prescribed a walking boot for a severe ankle sprain or broken ankle. A group of patients have filed a class-action lawsuit against a major manufacturer of walking boots, claiming they developed secondary injuries from the limb imbalance created by the walking boot&#;s thick sole. They also claim they were never warned of the danger.

Walking boots are a staple in any medical professional&#;s treatment portfolio. They have been used for several decades and are perceived as the &#;go-to&#; solution for ankle immobilization. They have treated countless people recovering from ankle and foot injuries. However, they also have shown to have many side effects. Recovering patients have experienced secondary pain in the back, hip, and knee, caused by the limb imbalance from the thick sole. Walking with a limb imbalance throws the entire body out of alignment, leading to abnormal gait and poor posture.

The walking boot is also heavy and cumbersome, leading to immobility, muscle de-conditioning, and lower quality of life.

Thankfully, there is now an alternative to the traditional walking boot. The TayCo External Ankle Brace is the only ankle brace that allows you to use your own footwear and orthotic, while providing the necessary ankle support. This lightweight alternative eliminates the limb imbalance with functional recovery. The brace&#;s hinge can be fixed for joint immobilization for the first few days or weeks after the injury, and then can be converted to range of motion (ROM) to allow for ankle movement and functional recovery, while providing unparalleled inversion and eversion support.

A walking brace or walking boot is a special kind of medical footwear recommended by podiatrists to secure the foot and ankle areas of a patient who has undergone surgery in the areas or experienced a serious foot or ankle injury.

The objective of wearing walking boots is to support and stabilize the foot to facilitate healing. These special shoes also help redistribute weight-bearing pressure. This reduction in pressure allows an opportunity for a speedy recovery.

Although people might have a very clear idea about how to use these shoes, one query leaves them utterly confused. The query is, &#;Do I need to wear walking boots while sleeping?&#;.

When it comes to foot injuries or ankle injuries, you can&#;t afford any risks. You need to adhere to the guidelines offered by the doctor. So, let&#;s dig in to find the answer to this pesky question. Read on!

Should I sleep with my walking boots on?

It is necessary for you to start wearing boots all the time. Forget about taking off your walking boots during the first few weeks of the injury, even while sleeping. The only time when you are allowed to part from them is when taking a shower. If this causes a nuisance, you may loosen the straps or use a gel recommended by the doctor for comfort.

People who are preparing to wear walking boots ask this question a lot. It is crucial to adhere to the doctor&#;s advice in any scenario while struggling with injuries. The usual practice is to keep the boots on even when going to bed. Moreover, you may consider losing the bootstraps to enhance wearing them comfortably, and thus, have better sleep.

Another tip that can help you is to surround the boots with pillows while sleeping. This will help manage the displacement risk and also support the affected foot. Pillows also provide a cushion to the foot against external impacts that may exacerbate the situation.

If you finally decide to wear walking boots even while sleeping, but are concerned about keeping the bedclothes clean, you may use an old pillow that you won&#;t be using ever again. This technique will offer your feet the much-needed protection and support while maintaining hygiene.

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Significance of wearing walking boots at night

Often you may think that it is okay to remove your shoes while sleeping. However, that would still exacerbate your foot injury. While sleeping, you are not typically aware of where your foot is lying, and probably you may bang or hurt them while tossing and turning.

Even if we disregard this possibility, it is highly possible that you will forget about your injury during sleep, and thus, may end up exerting intense pressure on the feet. Hence, to avert any such risks and enhance the safety of the feet, you should keep on wearing shoes even while sleeping.

So, you must have got your query answered by now. It is imperative that you wear walking boots to sleep. You may remove them at night for a while, but taking them off is usually not a good option. Furthermore, for how long and how often one can take off the boots varies from injury to injury and individual to individual.

It&#;s weird, right? Wearing shoes to bed! However, when you are wailing with a broken ankle or foot injury, all your focus must be on healing & comfort and not bringing the muck to bedclothes. Still, some individuals do face a hard time digesting and understanding this.

Why should you wear walking boots to bed?

Here are different reasons that will convince you to wear walking boots to bed. Read on!

• The ankle will retain its shape: When we sleep, our bodies naturally enter the hibernation mode, which then initiates relaxation in the muscles after a long and tiresome workday. If you are not wearing a boot, your ankle would not be in the active state, instead, it will be in a static, resting position in an extended and a pointed position. Thus, it is always good for those with foot or ankle injuries to wear walking boots to bed.
• Precludes further damage: While sleeping, people tend to forget that they have an injury. This is the reason why wearing boots while sleeping is recommended. In case you hit the wall, your pet jumps on the foot, or your partner sleeping with you kicks your ankle, the injury will only get painful and worse. So, to avoid such unintentional kicking, wearing walking boots to bed is a good option.
• Acts as a subtle reminder: Wearing a boot serves as a reminder to the subconscious mind of your injury. When you snore with your walking boots on, your body will be subconsciously warned about it. This is especially worthwhile when the injured foot or ankle is in the recovery stage.

Tips to sleep comfortably while wearing walking boots

It is really difficult to sleep with that bothering thing called a walking boot/ air cast on your foot. These massive things get hot in the foot. You need to wear it anyway if you want a speedy recovery.

Here are some relieving tips you can implement immediately to sleep better and feel more comfortable.

• Loosen the straps of your boot: You won&#;t be walking at night, so you can loosen the straps of your boot. For a majority of the people, this would be enough to allow their feet some room to breathe and get comfortable. This would also help your sleep better. But if you wake up to head t the bathroom or drink water, make sure you tighten the straps again.
• Assume a good sleeping posture: You should sleep on your back in this scenario. Keep a pillow under your walking boot such that the foot is in an elevated state compared to your upper body. If you sleep on your sides usually, you may try sleeping in the same position, but it is generally not recommended. If you do so, you should keep a pillow between the legs.
• Take off the boot an hour before sleeping, then wear it back: The issue with removing the boot during sleep is that you lose control of your body during sleep. Thus, any sudden or harsh movement may exacerbate your condition and thus, ruin your recovery.You may consider keeping off the boot while you are resting and allowing air and sunlight to touch your injured area. Both the elements facilitate recovery.

  When you are ready to hit the bed and sleep, wear the boot back.

• Administer pain meds before sleeping: For sure, rising up from the bed while suffering from foot pain at night won&#;t be pragmatic. Take your medicines before sleeping. This would allow medicines to stop the pain from happening at night, thus, facilitating better sleep at night.
• Allow more room for your legs: You cannot describe how hot it gets inside these boots, particularly during summer. To avoid feeling claustrophobic and irritated, try keeping your leg with a walking boot outside of the sheets. Along with the trick of loosening straps, this tip would facilitate better airflow in and out of the walking boot. You will feel more comfortable and hence, will be able to sleep better.

Can you sleep without walking boots post ankle surgery?

The internet is filled with opinions and suggestions from different people. And thus, one is bound to end up in chaotic confusion.

One thing you need to note here is that those who recommend sleeping without walking boots prioritize comfort over healing. Yes, without a doubt, anyone would want to sleep comfortably but know that the body heals itself during sleep. Thus, you can&#;t expect proper recovery in the absence of walking boots while sleeping.

Foot injury is no joke, and thus, shouldn&#;t be taken lightly. You should seriously adhere to the doctor&#;s advice and consult about the duration of putting on a walking boot. To put it in layman&#;s terms, you should keep wearing walking boots while sleeping. In case it bothers you, loosening the bootstraps for comfort is the best option you can consider without compromising the healing.

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