After your ankle has healed enough for the fibreglass cast to be removed you will be required to spend at least 4 weeks in a walking cast boot, also known as a cam fracture walking boot, cam boot or moon boot.

It is most likely you will be able to buy one from your surgeon’s orthotics practitioner at the time that your cast is being removed. In the case of my fathers, the boot recommended buy the surgeon was over $300 dollars, this seemed rather expensive considering you can buy cast boot from lots of retailers starting from under $100 dollars, so this begged the question is there any difference between all of these boots and would the cheaper ones do just as good a job as the more expensive ones? This question was put to our orthotics practitioner and there answer was that it wasn’t necessary to buy the expensive boot and they would be happy for us to provide our own boot.

Typical walking cast boot.

So what are the important things to consider, there’s no getting around the boot you have to have one and no one will rent you a boot as it need to be a proper fit and let face it would you want to recover from surgery in a dirty second hand boot?

It turns out that if you follow some simple rules you should be able to find a boot for you at a price you will be happy with. Oh and the first thing to know is that unlike shoes there is no left or right boot, these boots are made to fit either foot.

The number one thing to consider is it must fit properly. You will find heaps of online places from eBay to online stores who will sell you these boots but if the boot doesn’t fit properly you could undo all the surgeons good work or even find yourself in the embarrassing position of the orthotics practitioner refusing to approve your boot. Unlike shoes they don’t follow a shoes size so the best advice I can give you here is to locate a store that sells a range of these boots and go and have a fitting, the sales people will be able to put you in a boot that is the correct size for you and then at least you know what size you want.

Comfort is the second biggest factor to consider, and this is where most of the expense comes into the walking cast boot, you have to remember this boot will be strapped to your leg for most of the day and for at least 4 weeks, you also need to consider that because of the lack of movement of your foot in the cast you are going to have muscle wastage which will mean you won’t be as stable until you regain strength. So when looking at boots consider the types of padding in the boot, some come with Pneumatic quick-pump liners to encompass the forefoot, ankle and leg for complete immobilization others have foam inserts. Does the boot come with extra padding in the form of heel or support padding? The type of strapping, you want a firm fit. Is the heel section of the boot enclosed or open? If your surgeon is planning on using an ankle graft in the surgery then an enclosed heel could cause rubbing to the area where the graft was taken. Construction material, having a boot that is a brand name is important as materials on cheaper brands may not be as supportive.

Sole, when choosing your boot you also want a rocker sole designed boot, and when it comes to rocker soles there are different designs from steep to mild. A boot with a medium rocker will most likely be recommended to you by the orthotics practitioner, steeper rocker boot would also be suitable but the thing to consider is that the steeper the rocker sole the more unstable you will feel. Rocker sole shoes are by design meant to put you in an unstable position and there for induce movement, this is something that will need to be consider also for after you get out of your boot and are back into shoes, but that’s another story.

Dads Oapl Walking Cast Boot.

As for my dad he decided that the Oapl walking cast boot was best for him, he was able to consult our local health care centre and they were able to help him with a fitting, he spoke to the orthotics practitioner

and she said Oapl were a well known brand and would be fine for him. As a pensioner he was also able to get the boot for under $100 which was far cheaper than the original quoted boot.

So there you have it some simple rules to follow that will have you finding a boot that will aid in your recovery, you don’t need to raid the piggy bank to afford a good recovery boot, but above all if you are unsure talk to the professionals, they are there to give you advice and to see you recover well. Happy boot hunting and a speedy recovery.

How to use a walking cast boot.

Once you have decided on which walking cast boot will suit you to aid in recovery from your ankle surgery you need to make sure you are using it correctly. Incorrect use of the walking cast boot could actually hinder your recovery. The following youtube video gives a good explanation on how to use your walking cast boot.