Evidence-based options for off-loading diabetic wounds.

Abstract

Whereas the treatment of the diabetic wound has received a great deal of attention in the medical literature, the majority of the focus of recent research has been centered on dressings and advanced wound healing modalities. All these methods, however, are less than effective if the central tenet of treating the diabetic wound, namely reducing plantar pressure through off-loading, is not addressed primarily. This article examines the most commonly used off-loading methods in the medical literature and discusses the attributes and disadvantages of many of these devices.