If you’ve ever suffered from a broken foot, you know that the pain doesn’t stop with the bones itself. The lack of mobility can cause both physical and mental problems; what’s more depressing than being stuck on the couch on a beautiful fall day? It’s vital that you’re able to move on your own as soon as possible—and for that, you need to know the best shoes for a broken foot on the market.
The perfect pair of shoes is mandatory after you break your foot. That’s why we’ve taken great care in researching these shoes for you—so that you can take great care of yourself, and relieve your pain. With the right support, cushioning, and protection, you can go back to moving regularly in no time.
5 Best Shoes To Wear After Foot Surgery
10 Best Shoes After A Broken Foot
1
United Ortho Short Air Cam Walker Fracture Boot
United Ortho Short Air Cam Walker Fracture Boot is our top pick. It’s ideal for ankle sprains, post-op conditions, and soft tissue injury. It’s made of plastic molded uprights with steel reinforcements—all made with impressive quality, so you can support the limb while providing protection. And it’s durable, too, so it will be sure to last through your entire fracture.
It also comes with a shock-absorbing rocker insole, which reduces the impact of your steps. This excellent level of support helps promote a natural gait, allowing you to walk properly and otherwise get on with your life. (Well, maybe not all of them—jumping jacks still aren’t recommended while you’re healing.)
PROS
- Durability helps support the limb while providing protection
- Insole helps promote a natural gait
- Allows you to keep up with your daily activities
- Medial or lateral air bladder offers customized compression to increase comfort
- Optimal support and cushion makes it awesome for your sprain or injury
CONS
- Sizing may differ from person to person
- Some reviews suggested that the air pump may not function properly, but we weren’t able to confirm this in our testing process
2
United Ortho Air Cam Walker Fracture Boot
United Ortho is a great company with a good reputation for shoes after a broken foot. In fact, it’s so great that we’ve included another United Ortho pick on our list! This Air Cam Walker Fracture Boot has many of the features of its Short cousin, but it provides protection for your whole leg.
You might not think it when picking up this lightweight shoe, but it has a high weight capacity. The fit is comfortable and adjustable, with a contoured strut and a rocker sole. It also has excellent traction to give you stability while you walk. And it’s easy to remove, which cuts down on wasted time.
In layman’s terms, this boot will help you walk normally and get back to your daily life.
PROS
- A rocker sole lets you carry on with your everyday life
- Comfortable to wear and easy to remove
- Adjustable fit and contoured strut for optimal comfort
- The United surgical cam walker has a high weight capacity
- Has excellent traction to provide walking stability
CONS
- The lightweight fit means it’s not as durable
- Again, some reviews suggested problems with the quality of the air pump, but we didn’t see this.
3
Vive Post Op Shoe – Lightweight Medical Walking Boot
Moving onto another favorite shoe company, Vive, we find the Lightweight Medical Walking Boot—great for anyone recovering from surgery. The key word in describing these shoes is adjustable; they fit perfectly and give a safe, secure fit for men, women, and anyone in-between, and can be used on both the left and right foot.
Its three adjustable straps give you plenty of room to accommodate casts or bandages. This will keep your cast or bandages dry and free of dirt. Plus, it provides exceptional support and protection on your toes, foot, ankle, and leg. It minimizes the pressure on your heel, ankle, and foot with a lightweight steel toe design. And it’s so comfortable you’ll barely notice it’s there!
Plus, it has a 60 day unconditional guarantee. They sound so good I’m tempted to buy one, even though my feet are fine!
PROS
- Three adjustable straps allow the surgical walking boot to easily accommodate casts or bandages
- Keeps cast or bandages dry and free of dirt
- Non-skid tread provides extra stability while walking following surgery
- The rigid rocker sole supports the arch
- Wide square toe protects the toes and provides additional room for bandages
CONS
- May not be the best choice for ankle support
- They would be a little more comfortable with a lining
4
Aircast FP (Foam Pneumatic) Walker Brace
The Aircast Foam Pneumatic Walker Brace is one of the best walking cast boots for a fractured foot. They were designed for stable fractures of the foot and ankle, along with ankle sprains and a few other various injuries. More specifically, they were designed to provide mobility, protection, and optimal support, which helps you resume your daily life quickly after your injury.
The low rocker sole of this shoe promotes natural ambulation and helps improve your mobility. And like the Vive shoe, they provide ample room for your bandages.
There are two adjustable distal aircells in this shoe which provide compression and support—like a gentle hug for your injured foot. You can wear it comfortably on either foot.
PROS
- Specifically designed to provide mobility, protection, and pneumatic support
- Intended for stable fractures of the foot and ankle, or severe ankle sprains
- Low rocker sole promotes natural ambulation for improved mobility
- Provides ample room for dressings without sacrificing comfort
- Two adjustable distal aircells provide compression and support
CONS
- The shoe sometimes rubs on the wrong places
- May look bulky
5
Aircast AirSelect Walker Brace/Walking Boot
Did that last Aircast shoe sound awesome? Great, because we have another Aircast to feature: the AirSelect Walker Brace/Walking Boot. This boot provides great flexibility to help your feet move smoothly. Its full shell is durable and semi-rigid, giving your limb the support and protection it needs. This makes it a great choice for your broken foot.
It also comes with Soft Strike technology, which can absorb and dissipate the shock from walking. The lightweight and lab-tested rocker sole offers mobility and encourages your natural gait. It also has overlapping duplex air cells which make the shoe breathable. Fancy, right?
Plus, Aircast designed the shoe with sleek, open-frame features and a non-marking rubber tread for both ventilation and traction. Use it on either foot and any gender.
PROS
- Features a durable, semi-rigid shell that provides support
- Lightweight and lab-tested rocker sole encourages a natural gait
- Intermittent pneumatic compression is three times faster
- Designed with a sleek open frame that provides ventilation
- Non-marking, skid-resistant rubber tread allows for greater traction and longer wear
CONS
- There are some injuries that this shoe may not support
- May not be comfortable for all people
6
Ossur Rebound Air Walker Boot
The Ossur Rebound Air Walker Boot is a premier choice to support your ankle after Achilles tendonitis or a metatarsal stress fracture. One of my favorite features of this boot is the soft, moisture-wicking foot, which keeps your skin dry and comfortable. (And it probably makes it smell better after you take it off!)
It contains a fully integrated air pump and release valve for easy, tool-free inflation and deflation, offering consistent compression. Plus, like many of the options on this list, it has a rocker bottom to promote your natural gait.
Combine all that with a semi-soft toe bumper for added protection (because who wants a sprained ankle and a stubbed toe?), and you can see why this one made the top of our list.
PROS
- Rocker bottom promotes a natural, stable gait
- A trimmable, semi-soft toe bumper provides added protection
- Moisture-wicking foot helps keep skin dry and comfortable
- Fully integrated air pump and release valve provide easy, tool-free consistent compression
CONS
- Air pump is not of the best quality
- Price is a little steep (but we can see why with all these great features)
7
Ovation Air Cam Walker Walking Boot
The Air Cam Walker Walking Boot by Ovation Medical is an ultra-lightweight medical boot. It’s one of the lightest walkers on the market.
Like many of the options above, this boot has a rocker bottom and rounded edges, which makes your walking nice and smooth. It also keeps your ankle and foot stabilized with its easy-pump inflation bladder capability and has bowed struts to fit comfortably around your calf. Plus, it’s available in several colors!
While the shoe can help in pain relief, there are trade-offs to this ultra-lightweight walker; it doesn’t have an orthopedic insole. Keep that in mind when you’re deciding from the great options on this list.
PROS
- Ultra-lightweight—lightest walker on the market.
- Rocker bottom and rounded edges allow for smooth rolling walking motion
- Easy pump inflation bladders keep ankle and foot stabilized and aid in pain relief
- Bowed struts allow for a more comfortable fit around the calf
- Colored soles to match your attire or your favorite sports team
CONS
- Not give an orthopedic type insole
- Straps may not be among the best
8
Premium Short Air Cam Walker Fracture Ankle/Foot Stabilizer Boot
The Premium Short Air Cam Walker Fracture Ankle/Foot Stabilizer Boot is designed to give you support for your soft tissue injuries and stable fractures. It’s lightweight, but strong enough to keep you going.
The boot comes with an inflatable air bladder for a custom level of compression to your foot and ankle, with a convenient quick release air valve. This helps increase stability and decreases swelling. For additional comfort, it also comes with a comfortable foam liner. All these comforting additions lead to less pain in your foot and a faster recovery time.
PROS
- Medical ankle boot designed to treat soft tissue injuries
- Inflatable air bladder on our walking cast boot provides custom compression to the foot and ankle
- Comfortable foam liner with hook and loop fastening straps
- Quick release air valve to achieve the desired compression
- Lightweight construction
CONS
- Even though it’s a lightweight option, it’s not the lightest choice on this list, so some may find it too heavy.
- Some reviewers also thought the quality of this shoe could have been better
9
BraceAbility Short Broken Toe Boot
The BraceAbility Boot is clinically proven to protect your broken toe, metatarsal fracture, stress fracture, sprain, and various other injuries. It helps your foot heal while still allowing you to walk around as needed, with the rocker bottom we found in many of the other options.
We love it for its flexibility and mobility. It lets you immobilize your foot, and its deluxe foam liner gives you adequate comfort while allowing room for bandages and swelling. The toe bed is wide and open for breathability.
PROS
- Helps you walk while you heal
- Wide toe bed and open toe design
- Room for swelling and bandaging
- Low profile and rocker bottom for a more natural step
- Easily adjustable medical-grade fastener straps to allow you to customize the fit
- Reinforced shell provides protection and support on both sides of your foot
CONS
- Walking in this shoe can be uneasy
- It’s not the most comfortable choice on this list
10
Complete Medical Slimline Cast Boot Black Square Toe
Last but not least on our list is the Complete Medical Slimline Cast Boot. This boot is both comfortable and supportive with its slimline cast, protective bumper, and EVA sole. And one unique feature is its strapless forefoot closure, which provides flexibility in movement.
PROS
- Comfortable and supportive
- Foot Care shoe
- Slimline Cast Boot
- A protective bumper with removable EVA sole
- Strapless forefoot closure
CONS
- Not for regular use
- Not the most supportive or comfortable option on our list
Awesome List of 10 Best Shoes for Broken Foot Recovery
Conclusion:
There you have it! We’ve listed all of 2022’s best shoes for your broken foot in one place so you can easily find the right one for you. Best of luck in your search, and here’s too a less painful 2022!