Ankle Foot Brace – Use and Care | Summit Orthopedics (2024)
Wear in Schedule
It is necessary to follow a gradual increase in wear to build up your skin and soft tissue tolerance to the brace. Begin by wearing the brace two times for one hour the first day. Add one hour to each wearing period until you are comfortable wearing the brace full time during the day and do not experience any red marks or pressure sores on the skin.
Clothing
Always wear a snug cotton sock or stocking underneath your brace. Smooth out all wrinkles, because they can cause irritation. If you perspire excessively, you may want to change your socks frequently.
You must always wear a shoe with your brace, because it is ineffective without one. The shoe should be sturdy and supportive; slippers, loafers, and some sandals may be inappropriate. Your brace may not fit all of your shoes but it can be modified to fit most casual shoes that are accommodating.
Skin Care
Check your skin after every wear period for any new signs of redness or irritation. This is especially important if you are diabetic or have a lack of protective sensation in your feet or legs. Your brace should fit snugly but not cause any pain, bruises, or blisters. Some amount of pinkness is expected in areas of maximum correction or support. Any redness should disappear within 15 minutes of removing the brace. If you feel pain, or if redness on your skin lasts more than 15 minutes, call the office to schedule a follow-up appointment to have the brace adjusted.
It is important to keep your skin clean to avoid irritations. Mild soap and water are recommended. Do not use lotions, oils, or ointments under your brace. If needed, use sparingly and allow to dry before putting the brace on.
Begin by wearing the brace two times for one hour the first day. Add one hour to each wearing period until you are comfortable wearing the brace full time during the day and do not experience any red marks or pressure sores on the skin.
However, the downside of an ankle brace is that people who wear ankle braces for prevention may be at higher risk for sustaining a knee injury. The ankle brace may impair your mobility and some of your neuromuscular control in such a way that it puts you at risk for injury elsewhere.”
If you wear an orthosis or brace on your feet, ankles or knees, you need to wear some sort of sock underneath it. The sock protects your skin, keeps your skin dry and helps prevent blisters or sores. For the best protection, wear a sock that extends past the top of your brace.
Use braces, compression, or supports should be for daytime use only. However, you can use an ankle wrap at night for extra support. Make sure the wrap stays loose enough for some movement and circulation. Do not wrap the foot as tight as you would in daytime use for more movement.
You may be able to walk with an ankle splint, but often not right away. After injuries such as sprains, fractures, and dislocations occur, they usually need time to heal before weight-bearing. Walking or weight bearing too soon may slow healing or cause further damage.
Low-top athletic shoes work best with ankle braces because they don't apply undue pressure over your ankle bones like a mid- or high-top shoe will. Athletic shoe styles are changing all the time. It's important to know how these new styles impact the fit of an ankle brace inside the shoe.
What is the difference between an ankle brace and ankle support? Typically an ankle brace is considered a more rigid device.An ankle support is softer and has more mobility. The long-term wearing of an ankle brace will weaken your ankle.
Doctors, especially in sports medicine, often recommend supporting the ankle by wearing an ankle brace or taping it during activity following an injury.
So in the early stages and immediately following a sprained ankle an elastic type ankle support is best. Compression helps reduce selling and provides a low level of support. Later as you begin to walk about and run on your injured ankle then an ankle brace with more lateral (sideways) support is better.
We do not recommend that you wear a brace or support while swimming, because wearing one in the water can shorten the life of the product's materials. Also, the materials can become water logged and the support may not then fit the joint properly.
To make sure your ankle brace is as comfortable as possible, think about the below: Proper Fit: Ankle braces are typically sized based on your shoe size or ankle circumference, so be sure to consult the sizing chart to get your best fit and support.
Wear your brace for 1 to 2 hours and take it off for a 30 to 60 minute break. Check your skin after your remove your brace. All red or pink marks should fade away by the end of the break time.
Ankle braces can be worn to treat sprains, instability and for both general and specific ankle pain. While recovering from injury, the brace will stabilise the ankle ligaments, tendons and joints to decrease inflammation and speed-up the healing process.
A brace can help to reduce strain, tension, and pressure on the ankle joint. One of the major uses of an ankle brace is to immobilize the joint and help to reduce swelling after an injury. Among the many problems that can be helped by wearing an ankle brace are sprains, Achilles tendonitis, and arthritis.
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