How Offloading Helps Foot Wounds Heal

Offloading is vital in wound care as it prevents complications and aids healing.

Offloading involves reducing the weight placed on your foot to aid in the prevention and healing of wounds. If your healthcare provider advises offloading, it is important that you refrain from walking or putting weight on the affected extremity, whether it currently has a wound or is at risk of developing one.

Benefits of offloading include:

• Prevents pressure ulcers: Essential for those with limited mobility, offloading redistributes pressure to reduce ulcer risk.
• Facilitates healing: It reduces trauma, boosts blood flow, and promotes tissue regeneration, speeding up recovery.
• Minimizes recurrence: Proper techniques address issues like prolonged pressure, preventing wounds from coming back.
• Enhances comfort: Offloading alleviates pain, improving patient comfort and quality of life.

There are several methods to relieve pressure from your feet. While resting in bed is the simplest option, it may not always be feasible and could lead to additional complications. Your wound care team may recommend a specialized shoe or boot that enables you to be on your feet safely. It is important to avoid putting pressure on the wound while standing. Although this footwear can assist with balance and stability, it is not intended for walking.

Total contact casting (TCC) is widely regarded as the 'gold standard' for offloading.

“TCC consists of a fiberglass or plaster cast that is fitted around your leg and foot,” explains Christina Wilson, nurse practitioner at the Wound Treatment Center in Alma. “It follows the shape of your whole foot and is designed to distribute weight along the entire sole of the foot. This helps protect your skin, allowing your wound to heal more quickly.”

Wilson suggests following these simple tips for taking care of your cast:

• Learn to walk in your cast before leaving the wound treatment center.
• Keep the cast clean and dry.
• Don’t put anything down into the cast to scratch beneath it.
• When sitting, put your leg on a chair or pillow.

You should call the wound treatment center if you experience any of the following with your cast:

• An odor is coming from under your cast.
• You notice the cast is dented or cracked.
• Your cast is loose.
• Your cast feels too tight, which might hurt or cause a tingling sensation.
• You develop new pain or pain that won’t go away under the cast.
• Your cast gets wet from the rain or in the shower.

“If you ever have concerns or trouble offloading your wound, talk to your wound care team,” Wilson says. “They will discuss treatment options that could work in your situation.”

Once your wound is healed, you may need help to prevent new wounds from developing. Special shoes fitted to your foot by a podiatrist may be prescribed.

Christina Wilson, F.N.P.-C., M.S.N., is a nurse practitioner welcoming new patients at the Wound Treatment Center in Alma. To schedule an appointment, call 989-466-7020.