Offloading

Offloading means not bearing weight and reducing the pressure on a wounded body area. If your doctor recommends offloading, you should not walk or bear weight on the extremity that has a wound or where a wound could develop. This includes your bottom or hips if you are bed or chair-bound.

When you have a wound, your body needs a chance to heal the wound. The weight of your body when you walk puts a lot of pressure on your feet and ankles. This pressure keeps new skin from growing and stops new blood vessels from forming. If you have a wound on your bottom or hips, you should not sit or lie where the wound is situated. If you continue to bear weight on a body part that has a wound, it will take longer to heal the wound or the wound may not heal at all.

There are a number of ways to offload your legs and feet:

• Bed rest is best when appropriate.
• Keep pressure off the wound when you are up.
• You may be ordered a special shoe to allow you to be up on your feet. The shoe may be used for balance and stability but may not be meant for walking.
• Crutches, a walker, or wheelchair may be recommended to use with the special shoe.
• When sitting, reposition in the chair every 15 minutes.
• When lying in bed, reposition every two hours. Once your wound is healed, you need help to prevent new wounds from developing. Customized shoes fitted to your foot by a foot doctor may be prescribed.