Ankle fusion boot problems
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i had a talonavicular/calcaneocuboid fusion on 10th october, was fitted with walking air cast boot on the 20th November and have been weight bearing since however, the air cushions wont inflate any more- what should i do? i can still walk well and due to my ankle being more or less completely fused the day boot was fitted i am not too concerned but do not want to be sat in A&E for hours on end for a boot replacement- are they completely necessary to be inflated? thank you!
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michael70935 Bodharry2
Posted
The purpose of the air bladder is to apply compression and further help immobilize the joint. You would need to speak to you doctor's office about the necessity of this at your stage of recovery. Too little compression could allow too much movement in the joint that was not fused which could unduly stress the hardware in the fused part. You do not want a failure in the part of the bone that the hardware is screwed into.
Another option is to buy the boot yourself from an online seller. If the make and model worked well for you before the bladder failed, then you could just buy the same one to replace it. Keep in mind that the bladder location(s) vary by manufacturer and model. Often you can find a source that sells at a much lower cost than an official medical provider, but it all depends on what your insurance benefits are like
How much did you use the air pressure feature before it failed?
My guess is that if the boot allows too much movement of the remaining joints in your ankle, it could lead to localized stresses at the hardware sites before the bone has had a chance to fully mend. My understanding is that the hardware is there to hold things in position while the bone mends, not to take the load.