Walking and running is an activity that keeps us fit, happy, and fresh. Often, we face issues that messes up our daily routine and makes it hard to walk. Calcaneal fracture is something like that. It makes walking quite hard and almost impossible for a few.
Luckily, it can be cured. With surgery, or for some cases even reforming the bone instead of surgery. If you are a victim of calcaneal fracture, my heart goes to you. I can understand how painful it can be.
If you are under recovery from Calcaneal fracture and wanting to go back to your regular routine, I think I can help you with that. I can understand you are looking for the best shoe after calcaneal fracture treatment.
That’s the fighting spirit! Now, before we start off with the shoes, let’s learn a bit more about the issue and how we can prevent or cure it. I’m by no means a doctor, just trying to give you guys some general advices.
What Is A Calcaneal Fracture?
The calcaneus is a large bone at the heel of the foot. It is usually fractured after a fall from great height or in a motor vehicle accident. Sometimes, it can be so severe that you will need surgery to get back to your daily routine.
Can You Cure Calcaneal Fracture?
It can be very difficult to treat. The heel bone is like an egg with a strong shell and soft interior. The heel bone often shatters by accidents. Treatment requires the repair of multiple fractures.
Can You Walk With Calcaneal Fracture?
Sometimes, it becomes impossible to land weight on the fractured feet. It will be extremely painful to use that feet at anything. Without proper treatment, you shouldn’t try to walk with a calcaneal fracture. It can lead to permanent leg issues that we want to avoid.
Can You Cure Calcaneal Fracture?
It can be very difficult to treat. The heel bone is like an egg with a strong shell and soft interior. The heel bone often shatters by accidents. Treatment requires the repair of multiple fractures.
You can guess why it can be difficult. If the fracture has not displaced the bone, rest and partial to complete immobilization can heal the bone. Usually a cast of some sort is used to immobilize the heel.
Depending on age, it can require a long time to completely heal. Sometimes, doctor may perform closed reduction instead of surgery. But if the case is severe, surgery is the only way.
Now that we know a bit more about the issues and what causes them, let’s talk about some remedies that will get us back to our regular schedule. That’s right, we still need to walk comfortably after the surgery is done.
1. United Ortho Short Air Cam Walker Fracture Boot
As the name suggest, this pair of boot is made for people with fractured leg. It’s a universal boot that can fit on both legs. It’s more like a support shoe. It will keep your fractured leg on the position doctor recommended.
United Ortho Short air cam is an extremely comfortable shoe. You will feel like wearing just a comfortable pair of sneakers. But the trick here is, it will support your feet better than a pair of sneakers.
With a pair of this shoes, you can walk after recovering from a calcaneal fracture. The sole of this shoe features shock-absorbing qualities. The motto of this shoe is very simple, you must walk comfortably and you must walk safely. It’s one of the pair of shoes after calcaneal fracture you could buy.
The shoe offers custom compression with air bladder. Increasing your comfort and support according to you. The shell of the shoe is very durable. You won’t feel like this shoe is lacking on any end. As for the fit, small size can fit men’s 4.5-6.5 and women’s 6-8 size shoes. There is a size chart available for this shoe for your better understanding.
Is this shoe waterproof?
Unfortunately, no. This is not a waterproof shoe. There are too much cushioning inside of the walls of the shoe for your comfort. Those can soak in water and make your feet feel wet even after you take it out of water.
Is this a pair or a single shoe?
It’s a single shoe. If you are having issues on both of your legs, then you need to buy two of them. They are universal shape. Will fit on both of your leg.
Does this boot come with a toe cover?
No, it doesn’t. It’s comfortable for people that got a toe surgery as well. That’s why they kept the toe part open. So, it doesn’t bother someone who is suffering from a toe related problem.
2. BraceAbility Post-op Shoe
This sandal from BraceAbility is made for people that suffers from toe or feet issues and recently went under the knife. They will help you rehab better and comfortably. With no closed shell like boots, you might wear a pair of socks if you are feeling uncomfortable with sandal.
It won’t slip in any condition. Non-slip traction on the rubber sole provides extra grip and stability in any floors. Even in a floor of complete tiles, it will have enough traction to keep you standing still. The rigid rocker sole on the bottom supports arc and relieves pressure point on the forefoot and heel. Allowing you to walk more naturally with less pain.
The design of this pair of fractured shoe was to aimed to help you walk comfortably. Help your rehabilitation period. That’s exactly what this does. If you are a patient of calcaneal fracture and want a comfortable walking or running shoe, this pair of open-air design sandal will do wonder for you.
Is this a comfortable shoe for calcaneal fracture treatment?
Yes, this is a very comfortable shoe for that. You wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or closed up while wearing this shoe. You will feel comfortable wearing them, walking with them, even slowly jogging with them.
Does it come in a pair?
No, they don’t. They come in a single unit. Depending on your leg size, choose the right one while buying them. BraceAbility has a size chart on the shoe listing. Make sure to check that first.
Is it comfortable for toe injuries?
The entire part of the toe is open. There is no cover and it won’t come with cover either. Your toe will be able to breathe and move freely while you are wearing this shoe. Yes, they are very comfortable for toe injuries.
3. Aircast AirSelect Walking Boot
Aircast AirSelect is a boot that helps in your rehabilitation. It helps you walk better after going through a feet injury. Without bracers/implants, it’s quite hard to walk after a recent surgery. If you are someone who is suffering from calcaneal fracture and going into rehabilitation, then you will find AirSelect from Aircast very useful.
This shoe is made out of polypropylene. A high-density material suitable for equipment such as shoe. The front panel of the shoe is made out of polyethylene. Another high-density material used mostly on medical equipments. Just by reading the name of the materials, you can assume it’s a durable shoe.
Aircast Airselect has a technology called SoftStrike. It absorbs the shock from impact and dissipates the shock throughout the shoe to minimize impact force. Helping you walk better naturally. The weight of entire shoe is not too much either. Thanks to that, you won’t feel like walking with a burden.
It was designed to be sleek and open frame. Open frame designs are good for any kind of foot injury. If you have a toe problem instead of calcaneal fracture, you can use this shoe as well. The toe area of the shoe is open and the cover on top of it is extremely comfortable.
Is this universal fit?
Yes, you can wear Aircast AirSelect on either the left or right foot. If you are unlucky and have issues on both of your feet together, then you need to buy two of them for each feet.
What’s the benefit of AirSelect elite?
It’s the most advanced walking boot made by Aircast. It was engineered to provide better protection and utmost comfort to someone suffering a leg injury. It covers a larger area compared to regular and short AirSelect. It also has better ankle support. That’s why, if you are suffering from Calcaneal fracture, you should go for the elite package.
Can women wear this shoe?
Yes, this shoe has universal shape and fit. You don’t need to have a specific gender for this shoe to work. Even teenagers can wear the short version. Depending on what kind of fit you have, just choose the right size for your feet.
4. Aircast SP Walking Boot
SP in the name stands for short pneumatic. Indicating it’s a shorter length walker with pneumatic engineering to help you walk better.
This shoe was specifically designed for mobility. If you are on the last stage of your rehab and starting to jog and walk a bit better, then SP will come in super handy for you. It was designed to provide better pneumatic support and help you gain your strength back and do day-to-day activities better.
This is something a calcaneal patient will really like. It’s hard for them to get better both mentally and physically at the same time. At times like that, if you can walk a bit better, it will improve both your mental stability and gather your courage to complete your rehab and walk freely once again.
Low rocker sole provides a natural gait. It improves your mobility while not hurting your toe or ankle. It is very good for either of your leg. Low Rocker soles are the most used and preferred when it comes o walker brace/walking shoe. They are comfortable and not taking the grip from rubber outsole either.
Is this a universal fit?
Yes, you can wear it on either of your leg. Doesn’t matter who you are, you can use this shoe on any person. As long as you take the right size for your feet, you are good to go.
Is this shoe too heavy?
It does look a bit heavy, doesn’t it? To answer your question, it’s not as heavy as it looks. Neoprene is a wonderful material. It does the job without making the product bulky and unnecessary heavy. Aircast knows a heavy shoe won’t do any good to a person suffering leg injury.
Does this come with a pump?
Yes, it does come with a pump to inflate the bags of the shoe. Depending on where you need more cushioning, just pump some air into the small bags with the included pump.
5. Superior Braces Pump Walker
Is superior braces walker really superior? It should be, right? Why else would we mention it?
To answer all of them simply, yes. This is a superior walker bracer for leg injuries. Specially if you have ankle issues such as calcaneal fracture, this shoe will help you with that issue quite nicely.
Made out of different composite including neoprene and cushions, Superior Braces does provide a superior comfort when it comes to walking. As the name suggests, you can pump in air in the cushion of the shoe and make it even more comfortable than it is.
To do that, SB does include a pump in the package. You don’t need to go to someone else for the pump. The outsole is made out of rubber and extremely grippy. It provides enough friction in a slippery floor an outside.
As the material is not suitable for water, you shouldn’t wash them while wearing them or take them out for a walk on a rainy day. The cushions will absorb the water and make the shoe feel heavier than it is. That’s why no bracer making companies suggest you to wear their walking bracer on water.
Does this come in a pair?
No, it only comes in a pack of one. Meaning, you will get one shoe inside. It’s made out of durable composite and is universal fit. You can wear it on any leg you want. Either right or left, doesn’t really matter.
6. Darco Med-Surg Post-Operative Shoe
This pair of medical shoe by Darco looks nothing but a pair of sandal you will find on your local shop. But it has plenty of things different than what your local store has to offer.
First of all, it’s a medical shoe and not for regular wear. If you are recovering from a leg surgery, you certainly can’t wear regular shoes. That’s where Darco comes in. With their Med-Surg series, you are getting a pair of shoes with low-rock sole and rubber outsole with comfortable cushioning.
Giving you enough room to breathe with the band-aids on your leg. It won’t interfere with that at all. It’s a universal shoe fit for both left and right leg.
With aggressive tread at the midfoot, Darco shoes provides a great traction and stability. That’s a key selling point of this shoe for me. It’s extremely balanced and won’t make you feel like uneven at any point. It’s flat, but has very good control on the surface.
It won’t slip on you. That’s for sure. It’s an open top design. Entirety of the top is open besides a couple of straps that will help you wear the shoe tighter. Those straps also have cushioning. They won’t make you feel caged or make your feet feel uncomfortable and sweaty.
Is this a good pair of shoe after calcaneal fracture?
It’s a very good shoe for both before and after your calcaneal surgery. It’s good for before due to having a good grip on the sole and an extremely comfortable insole. It will help ease your ankle pain that you are dealing with. But you should use them after you have done the surgery or closed reduction.
Can women wear this?
Yes, you can. I know some sites listed it as men only, but it’s not true. It’s a universal fit. The shoe doesn’t know what your gender is. As long as it fits on your leg, that’s all it matters. It states men mostly because of the size of the shoe.
Does it come in a pair?
Just like most medical shoes, this doesn’t come in a pair either. It’s a universal fit single piece shoe. You can wear it on any of your leg without worrying about orientation.
7. ProCare XcelTrax Air Ankle Walker
XcelTrax most of the time flews under everyone’s radar. It looks a bit flashy compared to most other medical shoes. But it’s a very good choice for a shoe if you are recovering from any leg injuries. Specially, if you are suffering from calcaneal fracture, this shoe will help you in your recovery a lot.
It’s made out of nylon and other composite to keep the weight down and keep it comfortably light at the same time. Despite looking a bit of futuristic, this shoe doesn’t weigh that much.
It provides good amount of support to your ankle. Very good for any kind of ankle related fractures.
Foam and nylon liner of the shoe provides a great cushioning. It also absorbs shock from walking. You might be wondering what that red fancy looking thing is? It’s a built-in pump that inflates the pneumatic liner. It allows you to adjust the liner according to you. Giving you the ability to control the flow and comfort.
Can you wear it on any feet?
Yes, it’s a universal fit. You can wear the ProCare XcelTrax Air ankle on either left or right foot. There is no restriction regarding that. There is no restriction regarding gender either. You can wear it as long as it fits on your feet.
Can you wash this?
Yes, you can handwash this. Just don’t put it inside a machine of any kind. Use regular detergent while washing and you should be okay to go.
Does it have a port for a cooling water pump system?
No, it doesn’t have a port like that any kind. You are stuck with the built-in liners. It works flawlessly. I don’t think you will need a replacement of that anytime soon.
Best Shoe After Calcaneal Fracture – Buying Guide
Rehab and walking regularly after a fracture or surgery is very important. Having the right shoe for your fractured leg, it will fasten your healing process and help you walk better. Here are a couple of things that you should keep in mind before buying a pair of shoe for calcaneal fracture.
Size
Taking a bigger size of shoe in this case is perfectly fine. But don’t take a small pair of shoes. That will hurt you more.
Comfort
Cushioning and padding is a key part for surgical shoe. Most of them has pneumatic liner that can be inflated with pump for extra cushioning. Take a pair of shoe that has good cushioning. This way, you won’t harm your legs even further.
Weight
You don’t want to put too much weight on your fractured leg. It’s a very good idea to keep a shoe that is lightweight. You won’t feel uncomfortable or imbalanced weight distribution on legs like this.
Material
Neoprene and other high-density polyethylene is very good choice for surgical shoes. They are durable and lightweight good thickness. Will keep your feet warm and comfortably at the same time.
Conclusion
Calcaneal fracture is a very painful thing. I wish you all the best on your recovery. But that doesn’t mean you should stop walking naturally. This was my attempt to cheer you up and see that not everything is bad after all. With a good rehab and a good pair of shoes for calcaneal fracture, you will be like brand new within months.
Keep the chin up and do what you love. Hopefully things gets better. Till next time, take care.
