If you've broken your foot or ankle or have sustained any other injury that has you wearing a carbon fibre boot, you may want to know if you can walk around in your boot without crutches. There are plenty of reasons why people wearing a boot may not want to use crutches.
For example, the feeling of having something rough and hard underneath the arm isn't ideal. While some types of crutches offer more padding than others, you may still feel uncomfortable with using them, causing you to look for other ways to walk around without them, particularly over short distances. The good news is that wearing a walking boot is entirely possible.
You don't necessarily need to rely on those uncomfortable crutches to help you get from one place to another. Check out these helpful tips on using a medical walking boot without crutches, whether you have a broken foot, injured foot, or damage to soft tissues that require you to wear the boot for a period of time.
How to Use a Medical Walking Boot?
Before you can walk in a walking boot, you need to know how to put one on your foot. Follow these steps:
● Start by having a seat in a comfortable position where you can lean forward and easily place your boot on your foot.
● Next, put the heel towards the back of the boot, securing it in place. If the boot is spacious enough, you should have no problem fitting your foot inside it.
● After you've made sure your heel is touching the back of the boot, you can begin securing it in place by tightening the strap around the ankle and working your way up.
Most of these types of boots will have multiple straps that you can continue to fasten until you get to the top. Your foot should feel comfortable in the boot. If it's too tight, you may need to remove the straps and fasten them a bit looser. If it continues to feel tight despite loosening the straps, you may need to get a boot in a different size that will better fit you.
Purpose of Crutches
Although you may not want to use crutches all the time, they do serve an essential purpose. These are some of the best reasons to use crutches when you have a broken or injured foot:
● They allow you to take some of the extra weight off your foot. Sometimes, when a person has a broken foot, they may unintentionally put weight on that foot, leading to pain and discomfort.
● You can use the crutches to maintain your balance. Walking with a broken foot isn't easy, making it that much harder to stay balanced. If you often feel like you're going to fall when walking in a walking boot, you can benefit from using crutches.
● The crutches offer more stability. Sure, you can use a cane or walking stick, but the crutches are the overall best option out of the three. You'll have more support to keep you protected from falling and sustaining additional injuries.
How to Use Walking Boot and Crutches Together?
Did you know you can use a walking boot and crutches simultaneously? It's a great option because you can take a break from using the crutches for minutes at a time and then pick them back up when you feel like you need the extra support to maintain a steady balance. Follow these tips to have the most success with using a walking boot and crutches simultaneously:
● Use one crutch, placing it under the opposite arm of the broken foot for better balance.
● If you feel like you're putting too much weight on the broken foot, use both crutches to distribute your body weight evenly.
● Take your time. Don't push yourself to move too quickly. If you do, you may end up injuring yourself. Move slowly, even when using a walking boot and crutches to maintain your balance and avoid tripping and falling.
Final thoughts
Walking in a carbon fibre boot without crutches is possible. However, you'll need to take some precautionary measures. First, make sure the boot has a rocker bottom to offer balanced compression and added protection to your foot. It should also consist of metal alloys and other durable materials that will keep your boot in great condition, even if you're walking on the footpath with it.
Buy the Best Mobility Aids at Get About Mobility
Getting around when you have a broken foot might seem like a challenge. No one wants to deal with the pain and discomfort of bearing too much weight on that damaged, broken foot. However, at Get About Mobility, we have plenty of mobility aids can make it easier for you to get from one destination to the next.
You can use a walking boot, crutches, and other aids to get around. Having the extra assistance will make it easier for you to get through this period where you're no longer as mobile as you once were because of your injury. Be sure to check out our mobility aids for products that can help you when suffering from a sprained or broken foot.