Have you found yourself in the unfortunate position of wearing an air cast or walking boot after an injury? You’ll already know how uncomfortable they can be. Wearing these large and cumbersome objects can take a bit of getting used to. They can interfere with many of your daily routines and activities, including your sleep.
So, you may be wondering if you can take a little respite from donning your air cast or walking boot 24 hours a day and remove it while you sleep. After all, a little fresh air to your leg, ankle, and foot probably sounds like just what the doctor ordered.
But before you go ahead and remove your boots at bedtime, read this post to the end.
We’ll be sharing the best advice from doctors and experts about staying safe and comfortable at night while you’re recovering from injury with an air cast or walking boot.
Should I Remove My Air Cast or Walking Boot While I Sleep?
It all depends on your injury, but generally speaking, the answer is no.
As tempting as it may be to get some respite from your air cast or boot, most experts agree that you should NOT remove it before sleep.
Sleeping without your walking boot dramatically increases the risk of re-injury for several reasons. You may roll over at night and knock your leg against the wall or your partner. And even if you’re not prone to moving around during sleep, your bed mate could accidentally cause re-injury by kicking or rolling over in their sleep.
Plus, it’s not unusual for people to temporarily forget their injuries. They stand up for a midnight bathroom trip, still half asleep, only to realize too late that they have applied weight and pressure in the wrong place. Weight-bearing without support can cause huge setbacks in your recovery and increase the amount of time you will need to wear your air cast or walking boot.
It’s also important to consider the position of your foot during sleep. Our toes tend to point downwards naturally when we are in a relaxed sleeping state, which stretches out our tendons. Depending on the nature of your injury, this could be detrimental to your recovery.
Heavy sleepers who sleep alone, and don’t wake up during the night, may find that the benefits of sleeping without their walking boots outweigh the risks. But by sleeping without it, you increase your chance to some degree.
So, by sleeping with your walking boot, you’re setting yourself up for the quickest healing journey possible. Anything else adds unnecessary risk.
Tips on Sleeping With a Walking Boot
Sleeping with your walking boot on will never be as comfortable as sleeping barefoot, but you can do a few things to improve the experience and get a better night’s shut-eye.
1. Use Pillows
Properly positioned pillows can help to keep your foot and leg protected from accidental bumps and knocks, and they can also increase your comfort level too.
If you sleep on your back, put a pillow or two underneath your boot to elevate your injured foot, which will help to reduce pain and swelling.
Sleeping on your back is recommended, especially if your injury is new. But if you must sleep on your side, place the pillows between your ankles and feet. This prevents your boot from rubbing against your other leg, provides extra support, and helps to distribute weight, reducing strain on your back and hips.
2. Wear a Breathable Sock
Your walking boot or air cast blocks the flow of air around your skin, which can cause uncomfortable rashes, blisters, or sores. If this is a concern, try sleeping with a breathable sock while your boot is on. You can do this during the day, too.
Stick to natural fabrics, which wick away moisture and help to keep your foot dry and cool.
3. Consider a Gel Heel Cup
For many people, the most uncomfortable aspect of wearing a walking boot at night is heel pressure.
When your heel is in direct contact with the hard surface of the boot, you’re more likely to experience pain, pressure sores, and blisters.
But a gel heel cup can significantly alleviate the pain of sleeping in your walking boot and make the whole experience much more comfortable. Plus, you’ll be less likely to wake up at night, meaning you’ll feel well-rested in the morning.
4. Loosen The Straps
Ideally, your boot will fit snugly and securely at all times, providing optimum support for your foot, ankle, and leg. But if it feels too tight at night, consider loosening the straps slightly to improve blood flow and your level of comfort.
Loosening by just an inch can make a big difference, giving you a little more wiggle room without too much freedom of movement. Remember to retighten the straps if you get up to use the bathroom at night.
5. Remove Your Boot While Resting
Ask your doctor if it is safe to remove your boot for short periods while resting.
Most doctors agree that the boot should be worn at all times while sleeping to avoid the risk of re-injury. But depending on the nature of your sprain or fracture, they may advise you to stay boot-free while awake.
These moments of respite from your walking boot give your foot and leg a chance to breathe and can make wearing the boot to sleep at night more tolerable.
What Happens if I Sleep Without My Walking Boot?
Even though most medical guidelines recommend wearing your walking boot or air cast while you sleep. In some cases, doctors may allow you to sleep without it. Or, you may find it so intolerable to sleep with it that you choose to go against your doctor’s advice and remove it anyway.
Of course, not everyone who sleeps without their walking boots will experience negative side effects or re-injury. But as always, the best course of action is to follow your doctor’s orders.
Going against medical advice and sleeping without the boot increases the risks, and it’s up to you to weigh up the pros and cons before you make your decision.
If you choose to sleep sans-walking boot, here are some ways to minimize the risks.
1. Sleep With The Boot Partially On
If you find sleeping in your walking boot intolerable before you decide to ditch it altogether, consider sleeping with it partially on.
Try removing the front plate of the boot. This will still provide some protection and support while allowing your foot some extra space to breathe, reducing any sore spots that have developed from being strapped inside the boot all day.
2. Keep Crutches by Your Bed
If you wake up in the middle of the night and need to visit the bathroom, you may want to use crutches to avoid putting unnecessary weight or pressure on your foot. This is the easiest way to remain mobile at night without having to reattach your boot.
Plus, waking to a pair of crutches at your bedside is a visual reminder that you have an injury. It will reduce the chances of accidentally putting weight on your foot in a moment of sleepy forgetfulness.
3. Make a Pillow Support
Sleeping with pillows to prop up your leg is a helpful tool, no matter whether you wear the walking boot to sleep or not. But if you choose to sleep without the boot, pillows play an even more important role.
Propping up your foot to keep it elevated above your heart will help to decrease swelling and inflammation and speed up the healing process.
To keep your leg and foot in place, try building a kind of pillow ‘fort,’ with walls on either side so that your leg stays in the same position all night.
4. Take Care When Putting The Boot Back On
If you decide to remove your walking boot or air cast at night when you sleep, put it back on immediately when you wake and prepare to get out of bed.
Take extra care and avoid knocking your foot, ankle, or leg by putting the boot on too quickly. If it’s safe for your injury, you may also try loosening up your tendons with some very light ankle rotation exercises before you reinsert your foot into the boot and tighten the straps.
Always Listen to Your Doctor’s Advice
Walking boots and air casts are designed with the primary purpose of keeping your foot and ankle in a fixed position and helping to alleviate pressure and weight. So, whether or not you must wear your walking boots at night will depend partially on the nature of your injury.
A mild strain in your foot and ankle will heal faster and require less support than a severe strain or fracture. If your injury is more severe, even a slight movement or jolt can have disastrous consequences. It can set you back months in your recovery for your healing.
So, speak to your doctor, and weigh up the risks and benefits according to your own situation.
Conclusion
There are multiple pros and cons when deciding whether to sleep with your walking boot on or off.
Sleeping without your walking boot is undoubtedly more comfortable than wearing it to bed. It also allows your skin to breathe. Wearing a walking boot 24 hours a day can lead to an increase in blisters and other skin ailments, as less oxygen is allowed to circulate. Removing the boot for a while allows fresh air to come into contact with your skin which can prevent sores and help to heal any existing ones.
But sleeping without your walking boot dramatically increases your chance of re-injury. You may knock your foot or ankle in bed, or you may accidentally stand on your injured foot while you are half asleep. Thus, significantly setting back your healing time.
If you are unsure, talk to your doctor. They’ll consider the nature of your injury and your recovery plan to offer you the best advice when it comes to sleeping with or without your walking boot.
