Vicki Cameron
StEPS Podiatry, UK
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Diabetes Metab
Around 10% of people with diabetes will develop. foot ulcer which may lead to amputation. Heel ulcers are common particularly in patients who are non-ambulant. Traditionally, pressure relief at the heel has been. problematic issue. Current solutions centre on the use of specialist mattresses or free floating the heels using. number of commercially available devices. Patient�??s concordance to wear these devices is often affected by patients reporting the devices as uncomfortable and restrictive to wear in bed. Additionally, they only achieve off-loading when the patient is non-ambulant. Flexible heel casts are an innovative way to prevent and to treat pressure ulcers on the heel. This case study describes the use of. flexible heel cast in an 82 year old type. diabetic patient. The heel ulcer had been present for more than six months and had become static.. flexible heel cast management strategy was implemented. The heel ulcer was resolved after three weeks. Flexible heels casts have been evaluated as an alternative pressure relieving device that accommodates both aims of prevention and management of pressure ulcers on the heels. As such flexible heel casts can be used as an alternative to current off-loading devices for the heels and are an excellent addition to the clinician�??s toolkit.
