Cast or dressing protection

Monday 05 January 2009 at 12:57 am

Some time ago during Diabetic Week I was reminded by a patient that it’s an important point for our profession of Podiatry to recall how difficult it can be to care for foot dressings at home. The patient is sent home to return in a few days with sometimes information like “keep it dry”, “hang your foot out of the bath” or even “just wrap a poly bag around your foot”. Not only can dressings be bulky and warm they can also make life difficult when doing those normal everyday things like washing and bathing. In the Yourfootcare.com forum Fred asked the question “I have my foot wound dressed three times a week (I burnt it). I find having a shower difficult with plastic bags on my foot, and it leaks!  
Help !! is there anything to help my problem, I have seen things that look like a big plastic bag”. 

There are several different products on the market to help patients like Fred. Many of the products look like modified polythene bags and can be quite slippy to use in baths or showers or they can only be described as ’showerproof’ rather than for full immersion in water. XeroSox (XeroSox Ltd) Dry Pro ( Xero Products LLC)is a latex product that is quite superior to the modified plastic bag variety. The Dry Pro dressing and cast protector has a small valve on the side which when sqeezed repeatedly removes all the air making a vacuum around the foot and dressing to allow total immersion in water. There is also a clever non slip base that can make the patient feel more secure in the shower or bath. Quality of life is often discussed by professionals in relation to health care, this is one product that allows patients to return to a normal activity that we all take for granted like bathing whilst their foot wound heals.