Walking boots are typically medical boots that facilitate healing when one has had a foot or ankle injury. In most cases, users will tend to require one walking boot, obviously because having injuries on both feet is rare.
Best walking boots for men and women? We have a spectrum of walking boots, each serving different purposes and sizes. They will lessen your research, which may be too tiring, especially if your foot, ankle, or toe is still in pain.
How Does a Walking Boot Work?
People recovering from feet injuries such as Achilles tendon injuries, ton muscles, shin splints, broken bones, and severe sprains require walking boots to heal. Also, if you have had a broken ankle or foot surgery, the walking boot will aid in healing.
Though walking boots are worn on one foot in most cases, if you had an injury on both feet, you may require walking boots on both.
Essentially, walking boots stabilize your foot after an injury or a foot or ankle operation. At first, you can even wear it throughout, even in sleep, for support and quick healing. The walking boot allows tendons, muscles, and ligaments to grow or heal faster and without interruptions from re-injuries and tension.
Walking boots also minimize your pain during healing. The boot ensures that the foot is immobilized and rarely walks when you are ready for short-distance walks. In some instances, you can use crutches with the walking boots, ensuring that the bodyweight barely increases foot weight. Afterward, you can use the boot to walk without applying much body pressure on the injured foot.
Best Walking Boots
When considering walking boots, one is even more cautious, given that it is about your comfort and your health and healing process. For this reason, I will lessen your research by narrowing it down to the top six walking boots that you should consider.
We have a category for women and another for men, which will make your work even more accessible.
Best Walking Boots for Women
- United Ortho Cam Walker Fracture Boot – Comfortable and Affordable
- Mars Wellness Walker Boot – Well-Padded Supportive Boot!
- Braceability Short Ankle Walker Boot – This Works for Short People with Wide Calves
Best Walking Boots for Men
- Aircast Airselect Walker Boot – The Perfect Cast For A Double Ankle Fracture!
- United Ortho Short Air Cam Walker Boot – Great for Keeping The Foot Steady
- Aircast Short Pneumatic Walking Boot – Good For Big Toe Injuries
Best Walking Boots for Women
Here are smaller and narrower walking boot options, which are more suitable for women;
1. United Ortho Cam Walker Fracture Boot – Comfortable and Affordable
- Size: x-small, small, medium, large, X-large
- Weight: 2.8 pounds
- Material: plastic
- Color: black
This boot is excellent for a walking boot that promotes natural walking as you near the end of your healing process. You don’t want to raise attention wherever you go because you are limping, right? This boot has a rocker sole and a shock-absorbing insole, ensuring that as long as minimal weight is on foot, your walking style is not affected much.
Moreover, the boot is universal, fitting right and left feet. While it is basically made for women, men with narrower feet will also find a good fit. After all, it is wide enough to accommodate bandages and casts.
Then there are the air bladders, which facilitate compression, support, and comfort. Made of a reinforced plastic shell and uprights, the boot comes with added support and foot protection.
Pros
- Suitable for right and left feet
- Enhances natural walking
- Provides compression, support, and comfort
Cons
- Loses compression air after a duration, calling for re-inflation
2. Mars Wellness Walker Boot – Well-Padded Supportive Boot!
- Size: X-small, small, medium, large, x-large
- Weight: 2.6 pounds
- Material: polymer
- Color: black
If you are six feet and taller, I recommend this walking boot that will serve you optimally. It is suitable for treating sprains and ankle and foot injuries and enhancing a stable FX.
The boot comes with an upgraded pneumatic system quick-release air valve, which facilitates compression. Other than that, the air valve feature acts as a pain relief feature. Better still, the shoe design accommodates different swelling processes until healing.
Furthermore, the boot has a beveled-edged sole, which enhances natural fluid gait patterns when necessary. With a multi-strand polymer material, the boot reduces weight on the foot while encouraging durability. Then there are the contoured struts, which further increase the surface area and reduce pressure points.
Pros
- Suitable for tall people
- Very comfortable
- Sufficient compression for pain relief
Cons
- Too long for shorter people
3. Braceability Short Ankle Walker Boot – This Works for Short People with Wide Calves
- Size: x-small, small, medium, large
- Weight: 3 pounds
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
Are you looking for a short air walker? This walking boot is an excellent choice, and not just because of its size;
Fundamentally, the walking boot features customizable Aircell technology, which facilitates stability during recovery. On top of that, the technology enables personalized compression, depending on your comfort and foot condition.
More importantly, the short boot treats Achilles tendonitis, metatarsal stress fracture, sprained ankle, broken toes, and even bunionectomy. As long as you need the foot immobilized for the sake of healing, this short boot comes in handy.
The bargain is a deluxe foam liner that couples with a rocker sole absorb planter shock, promoting a near-natural walk. The rigid polymer plastic shell then provides support and protection on both the foot and the ankle.
Pros
- Suitable for all heights, whether tall or short
- Adjustable for different levels of leg swellings, casts, and bandages
- Comfortable and supportive for quick healing
Cons
- Quite squeaky when you apply much weight on foot.
Best Walking Boots for Men
Unlike women’s walking boots, the men’s sizes will be wider and longer, suitable for their feet and leg structure. So, shall we get the show on the road?
1. Aircast Airselect Walker Boot – The Perfect Cast For A Double Ankle Fracture!
- Size: x-small, small, medium, large, x-large
- Weight: 3.34 pounds
- Color: grey
- Material: nylon (straps), high-density polyethylene (front panel), polypropylene (shell)
Are you looking for a walking boot that will reduce edema and constant foot swelling? This Elite Aircast Airselect option is customized for this reason. The overlapping duplex air cells line the shell for compression, bringing in intermittent pneumatic compression that works on edema faster.
And there is more;
The walking boot is suitable for all foot and lower leg challenges, including injuries and post-operative procedures. Designed with a sleek open-frame, the boot facilitates ventilation that minimizes swelling and increases comfort.
Highly supportive, the walking boot has a durable semi-rigid shell, which ensures that the limb is protected and stable. Then there is the SoftStrike technology, which absorbs and dissipates shock. Combined with a lightweight rocker sole, the boot facilitates a natural gait.
Coming with a non-marking yet anti-skid rubber tread, the boot encourages traction during short walks. This also ensures that the boot lasts longer, serving you until you fully recover. Being suitable for both right and left feet, you can also keep it in case you need it some other time, especially if you are sporty.
Pros
- Best for reducing leg and foot swelling
- Absorbs shock and prevents pain
- Suitable for an advanced foot injury and post-operative healing
Cons
- Quite expensive
2. United Ortho Short Air Cam Walker Boot – Great for Keeping The Foot Steady
- Size: x-small, small, medium, large, x-large
- Weight: 2.3 pounds
- Color: black
- Material: plastic
There is nothing as frustrating as a walking boot whose compression is irreversible. The good news is that with this walking boot, you can inflate or deflate your boot at will, and all at the touch of a knob. Therefore, you will have optimal comfort and support at all times.
What’s more, the boot features a rocker sole, which combines with a shock-absorbing insole to promote a natural walk. Hence, you don’t have to attract attention with a limping gait.
Also, the boot is sturdy, courtesy of reinforced plastic shell and uprights, maximizing support and protection.
The boot is universal, suitable for both the right and the left feet. Despite being made for men, women can also find a fit in size smaller. You should get a larger walking if you are using casts or bandages on highly swollen feet. On the other hand, if your feet are average and have minimal bandaging, you may consider a smaller size.
Pros
- Customizable compression
- Amazing shock absorption
- Comfortable and pain-relieving
Cons
- Being a short boot, it may not reduce leg edema
3. Aircast Short Pneumatic Walking Boot – Good For Big Toe Injuries
- Size: small, medium, large, x-large
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Color: grey
- Material: neoprene
When you near your foot healing, you will need a walking boot that facilitates comfortable walking. Aircast SP walking boot is a great option, so let’s look at what it has to offer;
Essentially, the boot is designed to enhance mobility and pneumatic support blend while
recovering from a foot injury. It also enhances the protection of the damage, preventing re-infection. It is suitable for strengthening stable fractures of the foot and ankle, soft tissue injury treatment, healing severe ankle sprains, and bunionectomies.
The boot has a low rocker sole that enhances natural ambulation for increased mobility to promote its function. This feature also adds ample room needed for dressing while your comfort is still at stake.
For customized compression at all times, the boot comes with an air pump, hence proper support.
It has a low profile as well, which adds to the natural gait. Besides, the semi-rigid shell is trimmable for a customized fit.
Pros
- Suitable for mobility during the healing
- Ample support to prevent further injuries
- Air pump for customized compression
Cons
- Quite a bulky outlook
Things to Consider when Buying the Best Walking Boot for Men and Women
- Size: Look for a boot that is your size or larger if you have a leg or foot swelling or are using casts. You can ask for help from customer service for the best fit. Even when you don’t have swelling, you may require a size larger given that the injury will need ample space for movement and prevent pressure.
- Type of injury: for toe and feet injuries, a boot that offers an open toe area is the best. The ventilation it provides minimizes pressure on the affected area and prevents re-infection with dampness.
- Compression: Look for a boot that offers sufficient compression, which is necessary for pain relief and comfort. If the boot has customizable compression, this will be even better. You can regulate the compression depending on how the leg appears as you heal.
- Adjustability: Ensure that the walking boot you select allows for adjustability. When you have a foot or ankle injury or operation, there are chances of swelling. You may also end up with a cast even when you started off with a bandage. Therefore, when you have a walking boot that is adjustable, you will not get to a point where it is no longer fitting.
- Height: If you have swelling, you will need higher boots to regulate the swelling and edema. However, if your injury is on the toes or Achilles and not affecting the leg, short boots are a better choice.
- Time of the healing process: When you have a fresh injury, you may require a boot that completely immobilizes the foot. However, at the end of the healing process, consider a walking boot that allows more mobility.
Read Also:
- 7 Best Tips for Wearing a Walking Boot- Without pain
- Do You Need Crutches with a Walking Boot? Yes or No!
- How to Put On a Walking Boot?
- What is the Best Shoe to Wear with Walking Boot? – Top 5 Shoe Levelers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is a walking boot necessary?
Yes, when you have a foot injury or are recovering from ankle or foot surgery, a walking boot will enhance quicker recovery. It immobilizes the foot for a period and also acts as a pain reliever.
Can you walk on a broken foot with a boot?
Yes, you can. However, you need to ensure that the foot bears minimal body weight to prevent pressure and delayed healing on the broken area. You can also use crutches, which will ensure that the broken foot stays off the stress of walking.
Do you sleep with a walking boot?
Yes, you do, but only if your injury is severe and requires increased support even when sleeping. However, as the injury recovers, you can sleep without the boot and only use it during the day.
How much does a walking boot weigh?
A walking boot weighs approximately 2-3.5 pounds. It has to be heavy enough to immobilize the foot yet light enough to not impact too much on the foot.
How often should I wear my walking boot?
You should wear your walking boot as often as possible. Actually, you should wear it on a daily basis during the healing process. It aids in faster healing, while you will deal with the annoying pain more effectively.
Wrapping Up
Best walking boot for both men and women? You only need to check the above consideration for the best match among the above six. Remember that a walking boot should almost completely immobilize the injured foot. Therefore, try your best to ensure that you minimize the foot activities during the healing process. This way, you will not only heal faster but also prevent pain and re-infection.
