Chelsea Clinton's Cam Walker

Chelsea Clinton was seen walking around New York City this past weekend wearing a medical boot on her right foot. Reports claim that this is not the first time that Chelsea has injured her foot. She reportedly fractured her heel just 2 years ago. So, many people are wondering if this is a flare-up of an old injury or if it is completely new.

The brace that Chelsea is wearing on her foot can be referred to as a Cam Walker. These boots are prescribed to patients for a variety of medical conditions. These include sprains, fractures, diabetic ulcers and Achilles tendon injuries. The brace serves to hold your foot in a stationary, stabilized and immobilized position that decreases the pressure and impact that the foot sustains while walking.

The usage of a cam walker varies dependent upon your particular injury. For someone that needs to be held in an off weight bearing position, the boot is sometimes used in a similar manner as a cast. In other cases it may be used for a walking boot that is decreasing the mobility of the joint allowing healing while still allowing you to be mobile. A cam walker also has the ability to adjust the amount of moving up and down that the ankle can undergo. This ranges from zero movement by locking the brace at 0 to as high as 45 degrees. This gradual increase in degrees of motion allows the doctor to control the range of motion your joint can undergo. This gradual therapy allows a patient to slowly work back up to their range of motion after suffering from an injury.

The most important key to the usage of a Cam Walker is following your physician’s instructions. Since the boot has a multitude of uses, the settings that your doctor prescribes are the ones that will be beneficial towards your condition. Altering these settings can impede your body’s healing process and prolong the injury.

If you or someone you know in the Methuen, Lowell, North Andover, Bradford or Tewksbury Massachusetts area have been suffering from an ankle or Achilles injury our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. There are many difference treatments for these different injuries and Dr. Wachtel will be able to determine the one that is best for you.