Benefits of the Airboot Feature
What exactly is the pneumatic feature? This air boot feature allows the individuals to pump air into the boot, compressing the injury. This addition controls swelling, helps reduce pain and improves healing time. The air cast boot helps to contour around the leg ultimately reducing the movement within the your walker air boot or air ankle stirrup.
Recommended injuries to use the pneumatic air feature with:
- Sprained Ankles
- Broken Foot
- Metatarsal Stress Fracture
- Post Surgery Injuries
- Pressure Sores
- Toe Fractures
Injury not listed above? Look at other common foot problems to help decipher if the air boot feature would benefit your injury.
How Much Inflation is too Much Inflation in Your Air Boot?
Since the aircast feature isn’t automatic, it allows you to inflate their air walker to the desired amount of pressure needed for comfort of the injury. It’s important to be knowledgeable about when too much inflation in your boot could cause harm to your injury. If you over-inflate the air cells in the boot, it could possibly cause skin irritation to the area. An example of this skin irritation is a pressure sore, which is a result of prolonged pressure on a specific spot on the body. When wearing an air boot cast for a long period of time, make sure you are getting checked regularly by their physician to ensure that there isn’t skin irritation or the beginning stages of pressure sores.
When you are wearing an air cam walker, make sure to stay conscious of discomfort occurring to your foot. Discomfort usually coincides with the healing process but over inflation can cause additional pain. If you are feeling extra tenderness in the area, deflate the air pressure to a comfortable position.
During the healing process, spend a few hours a day with your foot elevated above your heart and deflate the air pressure slightly. While resting your foot, it can be beneficial to apply the R.I.C.E. technique to help with recovery. Higher pressure is advised when you are walking or doing other physical activity, whereas lower pressure is recommended and more comfortable when sitting or lying down. If you are going to sleep with your pneumatic compression boot on, release some air pressure to a lower level and ensure that there is no direct pressure on the injury.
Three Different Degrees of Ankle Sprains to Pair with an Aircast Boot
It is very common to twist your ankle exercising, playing sports, or just plain landing on it wrong. A sprained ankle results when ligaments are stretched beyond their normal range. Many people have experienced this pain, but there are different levels or degrees of severity. Although each person is different, there can be many different treatments, symptoms, and recovery times specific towards the degree of sprain.
Three different degrees of ankle sprains:
- 1st Degree: Slight stretching of the ligaments
- Symptoms: Mild pain, some swelling, joint instability, and difficulty jumping or jogging
- Treatment: R.I.C.E method, rest and immobilize the ankle
- Recovery: Depending on severity, around 1-2 weeks
- 2nd Degree: Incomplete tearing of the ligaments
- Symptoms: Significant swelling, bruising, moderate pain, and loss of motion in the ankle, as well as trouble, walking
- Treatment: R.I.C.E method, air splints, and ibuprofen
- Recovery: Depending on severity, around 3-6 weeks
- 3rd Degree: Complete tearing of the ligaments
- Symptoms: Severe swelling and pain, instability of the join, extreme loss of motion, and walking can be painful
- Treatment: Immobilization in an ankle stirrup or air cast walking boot, and physical therapy
- Recovery: Depending on severity, around 4-6 months
Looking for a product specifically for your ankle sprain? Check out a list of BraceAbility’s products used directly towards ankle sprains.
What is the Inflatable Heel Protector?
The inflatable offloading heel protector helps elevate and keep pressure off the heel. There are many conditions to use this heel protector including pressure sores, heel ulcer prevention, foot drop, Achilles tendonitis protection, and more.