Do I Sleep With My Walking Boot On? [Facts You Should Know]

Mostly when we encounter a foot injury, we are advised to wear a walking boot. However, the thing that confuses people is whether it should be worn at night while sleeping or not. Since foot injuries are very serious about looking into, so you need to follow proper guidelines.

Do I sleep with my walking boot on? If you are wearing walking boots for a foot fracture or injury treatment, then it is advised to wear your boots at night. You can loosen the straps of boots to ensure that they don’t cause any discomfort. 

Why should you wear walking boots at night?

Sometimes, your doctor may suggest that it is ok to take off the boot while sleeping. However, it would just increase the risk of spoiling your foot injury. While sleeping, he is not aware of where his foot is going, so you might hit it with a wall. Even if we cancel out this possibility, you might still forget that you have a foot injury. Thus, as a result, you can put pressure on your feet.
Hence, to avoid any risks and to ensure the safety of your feet, you should wear your walking boot while sleeping.

5 step to Reducing the discomfort 

You are used to sleeping in a carefree manner, and if you feel your foot is bound to a boot, you might face discomfort. However, the solution to this problem is not taking off the boot. Instead, you can follow some other tricks to re-gain your comfort for sleeping.

1. Loosen the straps

Of course, one cannot sleep with a tight boot. Thus, the first step to ensuring the comfort of your boots is loosening the straps. If your boot is tightly strapped in, then the flow of blood is hindered in your foot. Thus, this can also make your foot hurt in the morning. Loosening them an inch or so will ease away your problem.

2. Use a gel heel

The heel of our foot is a sensitive part, and you may feel like the pain is concentrated in that part of your foot. A gel heel cup can reduce your discomfort and pain by cushioning your heel. It is even better than medication because it has no side effects.

3. Use a pillow

You might have seen in movies that they place a pillow under the foot of an injured person. It is a helpful method to reduce pain and re-gain comfort because, by this technique, your foot is raised above the heart. Thus, there is no hindrance in blood flow, which will prevent your foot from swelling.

4. Wearing the whole day

Some people end up wearing the walking boot the whole day. It depends on what your doctor has told you because it varies from injury to injury. However, if your doctor has not advised you anything, then it is best to consult them.
If you do not have a severe foot injury, then you might take them off for a while for resting or washing. These boots are designed to support your foot while walking. So, a minimum amount of stress is imposed on the foot. If you are doing nothing and just sitting comfortably on your sofa, then take a break from the boots.

5. Points to take care of

If you do take off your boot, then avoid any kind of foot moment. Just sit back and relax while putting the least amount of strain on your foot. A pillow will give you a lot of help in this situation. Take a pad and place it under your injured foot so that it is raised a little. This will help your medically, but it will also keep you conscious that your foot is injured, and you need to be careful.

How long to wear a walking boot?

Generally, it is advised to wear your walking boot for 1-6 weeks (depending on how bad your injury is). This time may differ based on the seriousness of the damage. Following a defined schedule might help you heel fast:

0-6 weeks

• Wear your boot as advised by the doctor.
• Regularly perform your exercise after consulting your doctor.

6-8 weeks

• Don’t stop the usage of your walking boots.
• Start trying to walk around your house.
• Continue your exercise.

8-12 weeks

• Your injury is likely healed, but you can face mild symptoms for 3-6 months.
• You can continue with your routine.
• Avoid any heavy tasks or long walks.

12th week

If you are still facing significant pain and swelling in your foot, then consult your doctor again. You might have to wear your walking boot again and look into some precautionary measures.

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can i Wearing boots at night?

It is discussed earlier that sleeping with your boots is very helpful. If you want to take them off for a while at night, then it is ok. However, ultimately taking them off isn’t the best option.
Some people remove their boots at night and sleep in peace with no issue. Thus, it varies from person to person and injury to injuries.

Best Medical Walking boots

Although it is advised that you use the boots recommended by your doctors, still, if you want to have a market survey yourself, then you can look into the options below. Each walking boot has its usage and benefits. Thus, depending on what foot injury you have and how much you can afford, choose a walking boot that best fits your needs.

01. Orthotronix Closed-Toe Short Air Cam Walker Boot

These boots are mainly used for mild ankle sprains, forefoot sprains or breaks. The custom inflated air cells maintain a proper position of your foot. Thus, they provide enhanced stability.

They also come in Tall Air Boots . These are taller in size and are best used for mild, moderate, and severe ankle sprains or ankle fractures.

2. BraceAbility Post-op Shoe for Broken Foot or Toe

These shoes are used for post-surgical healing, toe wounds, broken toes, and ulcerations. They can also be used after hammertoe surgeries and metatarsal stress fractures. These can be chosen for wet and cold conditions.

If you are looking for more breathable options, then you can select then Open-Toe Medical Shoes ( on Amazon). They can be used for the same purpose as closed-toe medical shoes.  

Related Questions [FAQs]

Can you walk in your boots after foot injury?

In the early stages it is likely that you will feel more comfortable in walking on your heel instead of putting weight on whole foot. Later, as you get better you will return to your casual walking style. Just make sure that you don’t put a lot of stress on your foot in the early stages.

What can be used for additional help?

If you want further help in healing your foot injury, then sock liners may help you out. These sock liners reduce irritation and discomfort of the walking boots by ensuring blood circulation. These liners also help in keeping the boot dry and warm.

Note: If you’re interested in finding more information read our best guide on are birkenstocks good for flat feet by clicking here.

Wrap Up

Foot injury is a severe issue, and you should not take it lightly. The consultation of doctors is advised at every step. A doctor should consult even the duration of wearing a walking boot. On a general note, you should wear the walking boot while sleeping with loosened straps and raised foot with proper cautions and care.