May
26
Vacocast
May 26, 2011 | |
So I was charged $300 for my standard issue air walking boot. The air bladders put pressure right on my wound and did not restrict my heel from rubbing against the boot. The air bladders also lost their pressure after 30 min.
So I spent another $300 and ordered the Vacocast and got it yesterday. Holy shit, what a difference. This thing is comfortable. I went swimming and did pool therapy (even though I am still NWB at 9 wks) and it was easy to dry.
I am going to my ortho tomorrow and will tell him this boot is amazingly comfortable and versitle. It’s got a little adjustment for just about everything.
As a patient and physician I can say this is a superior boot. Does it help you heal faster as they claim. Probably not, but it’s comfort and ease of use make your mobility an easier experience.
Got go swimming.
Comments
6 Comments so far
Just about everybody here who’s used the Vaco seems to love it. I used two different boots for my two ATRs, and they both worked very well. My 2nd-time (non-op) OS preferred a new AirCast to my left-over (and well used) hinged boot — a Donjoy MC Walker — so I bought an AirCast from his clinic’s shop ($150, Ontario-insurance-subsidized price). I had no problems with fit, though I never used the air bladders much. (They’re plastic, and they made my foot feel too clammy, even after I healed enough to wear a sock.)
At about 7 weeks post-non-op, I decided I should be in a hinged boot, so I resuscitated the Donjoy. (My fancy OS recommended staying on the proven path, but I ignored him this time.) I weaned off the boot at 8 weeks, but still brought it out for a while, for scary outings, like bike rides and crowded subway rides.
BTW, I also found the AirCast pretty waterproof, though I never swam in it. I did take it apart and washed it thoroughly. After I wrung out the foam liner (and Velcro’d it back together) and wiped the shell dry, it was pretty good to go. The Donjoy liner seemed to have more fabric and less foam, so it’s probably slower to dry out.
Hi, I ordered a vaco here in the UK after reading this sight and seeing the massive ossur boot they gave other patients in my hospital. My Ortho probably thought I was a pain always bring the vaco to our meetings
Eventually I got in it at 6 weeks. It was so good and because of it’s size I could get jeans over the top so it made life soo much easier. Plus you can start walking move normally with a hinged boot.
As with a lot of things in the medical world it’s not until it happens to you that one can fully understand the patient discomfort. This boot made life a lot easier. I loved the fact you can take the base off when you cone in ‘off the street’ and put your clean ‘house slipper’ base on. Having two liners was a blessing too.
Happy healing
It’s true that I had to do work-arounds to accommodate (= fit pants over) the big boots. Sweatpants were easy, of course. I usually wear convertible cargo pants that convert into shorts with a zipper on each leg, so I just zipped off the leg-bottom on the boot size and rolled that way. If my pant cuffs would fit over the Vaco, that would have been easier, alright!
There have been some randomized trials that used hinged boots (and WB) starting early in the rehab, and I wasn’t impressed with their results. I felt I was ready for the hinge at 7 weeks post-non-op, and it felt good and pretty safe.
I was looking at this boot today and thinking about ordering it. I had one question, I thought the Doctor’s put your foot at a 45 Degree angle after surgery and that the VacoCast only allows for a 30 Degree? I just had AT surgery on Wednesday and right now I am in a fiberglass cast. This cast is not as heavy as my plaster, but it still SUCKS!!!!!!!
Does anybody have a medium Vacocast pro for sale?
I realize this is an old post, but just in case I wanted to provide some information.
30º (or below) is essentially “standard” practice for ATR repair. Anything above 30º would be considered very aggressive and beyond normal ROM.