You may need to stay off an injured foot for any number of reasons. Broken bones, stress fractures, sprained ankles and strained ankles are only a few of the most common foot injuries. Foot surgery is also necessary to correct common foot deformities such as hammertoe, bunions, claw toe, hallux valgus, plantar fasciitis and cavus foot (hich arches). Whatever the reason you find your foot or ankle in a cast, recovering from injury or foot surgery can be a long and painful process.

As soon as your foot is injured, ice and elevate the injury. This will help to reduce swelling. Wrap the foot in order to immobilize and protect it. See a doctor as soon as possible. Often the type of injury cannot be diagnosed until a doctor has X-rayed your foot.

Depending on the type of injury or surgery, the podiatrist may put your foot in a hard or soft cast. Sometimes splints are used to stabilize the foot and keep it immobile. Other times the podiatrist will send you home with an orthopedic shoe or a shoe with a particularly rigid sole. This is to keep the injured foot immobile.

Continue to ice and elevate the injured foot once you get home. The foot should be lifted to approximately chest level. Use a pillow or padding to make sure that the ankle is comfortable.

Most people recovering from foot injury or foot surgery should stay off their injured foot for a couple of days. The more your foot gets a chance to rest, the faster it will heal. Quick trips to the bathroom are probably fine. Trips to the grocery store are probably not.

By the end of the first week, you should be starting to comfortably maneuver yourself using your crutches. Follow your podiatrist’s order when deciding how much weight to put on your injured foot. Keep your bandages clean and dry. If you notice discharge, bleeding or if your bandages come off prematurely, see your podiatrist.

Don’t forget about the healthy foot! This foot is working extra hard to support your body’s weight. It is probably a good idea to invest in an athletic or orthopedic shoe that will provide the foot with added support.

Once the cast comes off, don’t force your recovering foot into your normal shoes. The foot may still be swollen and need a little extra room. The surgical procedure may have left your foot a slightly different size. It’s generally a good idea to go with a shoe that’s a little too big (to allow swelling, etc.) and lace it tightly than to cram your foot into a shoe that is too small. Look for athletic or orthopedic shoes that will protect your foot as it continues to heal.