Each day, about 15 people in the UK are diagnosed with sarcoma – roughly 5,300 per year. Sarcomas are rare cancers of bone or soft tissue, and treatment often involves major surgery. Whenever possible, surgeons perform limb-sparing operations (also called limb salvage surgery) to remove the tumor without amputating the limb. In some cases, however, amputation becomes necessary (for example, if a tumour cannot be completely removed or if cancer returns).

Recovering from such life-changing surgeries is a challenging journey that requires a multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach. Physiotherapists and occupational therapists typically get involved soon after the operation, helping patients regain mobility and adapt through exercises and assistive devices. An often-under-appreciated aspect of this recovery is the use of post-op orthoses – specialised braces, boots, and shoes that protect healing limbs, enable safer mobility, and ultimately improve outcomes in sarcoma recovery.

 

Sarcoma, Surgery, and the Road to Recovery in the UK

What is sarcoma?

Sarcoma is an uncommon type of cancer that can develop in the bones or in soft tissues like muscle, fat, nerves, or blood vessels. It can appear anywhere in the body, but notably in the limbs (arms or legs) in many cases. Sarcomas account for less than 2% of all cancer diagnoses in the UK, which means patients often feel isolated – it’s sometimes called “the loneliest cancer”. The rarity of sarcoma also means that specialist care and rehabilitation services are crucial. Each patient’s journey is unique, but all face the challenge of extensive surgery and recovery.

Limb salvage vs amputation: In the past, a diagnosis of bone sarcoma in a limb often meant amputation. Today, thanks to advances in surgery and treatments like chemotherapy, limb-sparing surgery is the most common approach for sarcomas in arms or legs. The surgeon removes the tumour and a margin of healthy tissue, sometimes replacing a section of bone with a metal implant or bone graft. This avoids amputation in most cases. In fact, amputation is now relatively rare for soft tissue sarcomas – it’s usually only considered if limb salvage isn’t feasible or if the cancer comes back after a limb-sparing procedure. This is encouraging news, but it also means a long rehabilitation ahead.

The rehabilitation pathway: Whether a patient undergoes limb salvage or amputation, recovery will involve a multidisciplinary team and months of rehab. After limb-salvage surgery (for example, replacing part of a bone or extensive reconstructive surgery in the foot or leg), patients may have to limit movement while tissues heal. It’s common to use external supports – splints, braces, or orthotic boots – to immobilise or protect the surgical site for a period of weeks or months. For instance, if the surgery involved a joint like the knee or ankle, a brace or controlled-motion boot might be worn to keep it stable during early healing.

Physiotherapists will encourage gentle movement as soon as it’s safe, often teaching patients how to get around with crutches or walking aids while wearing these supports. The goal is to maintain muscle strength and range of motion in the limb, without compromising the surgical repair.

Patients who have an amputation face a different but equally demanding rehabilitation. After surgery, the focus is on healing the stump (residual limb) and preparing for a prosthesis. The stump is usually bandaged and may be placed in a rigid dressing or a special orthosis to control swelling and protect it. Over time – typically a few weeks after amputation – patients may begin pre-prosthetic training, which includes exercises, shaping of the stump, and often wearing a temporary device or orthosis to aid mobility until a permanent prosthetic limb is fitted. Throughout this process, post-op orthoses can significantly improve comfort and safety: they cushion sensitive surgical areas, offload pressure from wounds, and give the patient confidence to gradually bear weight or move around.

At Algeos, we are proud to partner with DARCO to distribute their post-operative and trauma AFOs. From the immediate post-op period to the transitional phase before a prosthesis, and onwards into longer-term rehabilitation, these orthotic solutions address specific needs of sarcoma patients:

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DARCO All Round Shoe – Early Post-Op Comfort and Protection

Designed for comfort and wound care: What makes the All Round Shoe especially useful in sarcoma recovery is its accommodating and thoughtful design. The shoe features a wide, adjustable mesh upper that can expand to fit over bulky bandages or swollen feet. The extra-wide opening and Velcro fastening allow it to be put on and taken off easily, even if the patient has limited mobility or sensitive postoperative pain. A shock-absorbing outsole made of EVA/rubber helps to soften impact when walking, which is important for patients who might have tenderness around surgical areas. The sole’s slight rocker profile also promotes a smooth rolling gait, making walking feel more natural despite the stiff post-op feeling in the foot. Crucially, the interior of the shoe has ample space (a “spacious boot design”) to accommodate custom insoles or orthotic inserts and even thick dressings. This means that if a patient has a wound dressing or requires an insole for offloading a specific area (for example, if part of the foot’s weight-bearing surface was removed due to the tumor), the All Round Shoe can adapt to those needs.

Some key benefits of the All Round Shoe include:

Immediate post-op use: It’s meant to be worn as soon as one is ready to begin protected weight-bearing after surgery. The slip-resistant sole and stable base help patients feel secure when taking their first steps. This can be critical in the hospital and at home to prevent falls or undue stress on the healing limb.

Wound protection: The shoe’s padded, breathable upper shields incisions or skin graft sites on the foot from external bumps and friction. By reducing pressure and shear on the foot, it aids wound healing. Many sarcoma surgeries in the foot involve large soft tissue flaps or skin grafts and protecting these is vital for recovery.

Adjustability and comfort: Because of the hook-and-loop closures and stretchable material, the All Round Shoe can adjust to the patient’s foot shape day by day. If swelling goes down or if bandages are reduced, the fit can be tightened accordingly. Patients often comment that it feels more like a supportive slipper than a medical device – it’s lightweight and breathable, yet sturdy.

DARCO Body Armor Stirrup Walker – Stability During Rehabilitation

A modern walking boot for healing limbs: The Body Armor Stirrup Walker is a type of CAM walker (Controlled Ankle Motion walker), that provides rigid support to the lower leg and foot. For sarcoma patients, this orthotic is particularly useful after limb salvage surgeries that involve bones or joints in the lower limb. This boot acts as a removable cast, holding the ankle in a 90° position to control movement and force on the healing foot and ankle. The rigid upright supports (stirrups) on either side of the leg and the sturdy shell around the foot ensure that the surgical area is well protected from any twists or excessive weight-bearing that could jeopardise the repair.

Facilitating active recovery: One of the advantages of the Body Armor Stirrup Walker over a traditional plaster cast is that it encourages active rehabilitation. Patients can remove the boot for prescribed exercises or therapy sessions (as guided by their physio), allowing for gentle ankle movement and muscle activation that would be impossible in a fixed cast. This can help maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility during the healing process. When the boot is strapped back on, it provides immediate stability for standing or walking short distances. Furthermore, the boot’s rocker sole helps simulate a normal gait, and its adjustable straps accommodate swelling or bandages.

Key benefits include:

Rigid protection: It immobilises and guards the surgical area against unwanted movement or accidental bumps. This is peace of mind for both patients and clinicians – a reconstructed limb is well sheltered.

Early mobility with safety: Patients can start moving with the boot on, which aids circulation and functional recovery. They can gradually progress from non-weight-bearing to partial, and eventually full weight-bearing in a controlled manner, as the healing allows.

Removable design: Being able to remove the walker for hygiene (cleaning the limb, checking wounds) and for therapeutic exercises is a huge plus over a traditional cast. It also allows wound care nurses to easily access surgical sites for dressing changes without having to cut off a cast.

Durable comfort: The shock-absorbing PowerPods® sole and overall lightweight construction make it easier for patients to adhere to wearing the boot, even for many weeks. The sole’s advanced shock absorption protects the foot from harmful forces that disrupt healing, which is particularly beneficial if the patient is still undergoing adjunct therapies like physiotherapy or simply resuming daily activities.

For sarcoma survivors, the road to full weight-bearing can be long. The Body Armor Stirrup Walker ensures that this journey is as safe and comfortable as possible, acting as a trusty companion from the early postoperative days until the bones and soft tissues are strong enough to stand on their own. Algeos provides this advanced walker to hospitals and clinics across the UK, helping to standardise high-quality rehab care for sarcoma patients and others recovering from serious foot/ankle injuries.

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DARCO Body Armor Pro Term Foot Stump – Supporting Amputation Recovery

A bridge between amputation and prosthesis: Not all sarcoma patients can have limb salvage surgery. If part of the foot is amputated to remove the cancer – for example, a Chopart amputation (through the midfoot) or Lisfranc amputation (through the forefoot) – the rehabilitation needs are unique. The DARCO Body Armor Pro Term Foot Stump is specifically designed for this scenario. It is a provisional orthosis worn after a partial foot amputation, providing a protective, supportive shell around the residual foot stump. The period immediately following an amputation is critical: the surgical wound must heal, the stump’s shape often changes as swelling goes down, and the patient must learn to balance and walk with a new gait. In other words, it is a temporary but crucial solution during the post-op healing phase and pre-prosthetic training phase.

Protecting and shaping the foot stump: This orthotic boot looks somewhat like a medical walking boot, but it has special features tailored to amputees. The bottom of the Pro Term boot has a wedge-shaped sole that offloads pressure from the front of the foot, since in a midfoot amputation the patient no longer has the forefoot for support. The boot also extends up over the ankle with a sturdy shell, stabilising the ankle joint and preventing deformities or contractures during the healing process. Inside the boot is where the magic happens: it comes with a two-piece insole and a built-in adjustable air cushion system. Using a small integrated pump, the patient (or clinician) can inflate the air bladders to snugly fit the contours of the stump. This serves two important purposes: it compresses the soft tissues of the stump, which helps reduce swelling and shape the limb for eventual prosthetic fitting, and it ensures a perfect fit through air compression for even support.

Key features and benefits of the Body Armor Pro Term Foot Stump include:

Stabilisation and alignment: The tall boot structure spans above the ankle, ensuring the foot stump is held in a correct position. This prevents the ankle from dropping or the stump from rotating improperly during healing. Good alignment now means fewer problems when fitting a prosthetic or custom shoe later.

Customisable support: The combination of interchangeable insoles and the inflatable air bladder system means the orthosis can be tailored to each patient’s anatomy. As swelling reduces, the fit can be tightened, maintaining even pressure all around the stump. This helps the stump heal into a conical shape ideal for prosthetic fitting, rather than a bulbous or irregular shape.

Pressure offloading: The wedge outsole and overall design offload weight to the heel and the shaft of the device. The sensitive front-end of the stump (where the amputation occurred) is relieved of direct pressure, protecting it during the critical 6–10-week healing window. This also reduces pain when the patient tries to bear weight.

Ease of use: The Pro Term is relatively lightweight and easy to put on. It’s secured with adjustable straps, and the front “tongue” opens wide to allow the stump to slide in without friction on the incision site. This is very practical for daily wound inspection and hygiene. Patients or caregivers can remove it to clean and dress the stump, then reapply it without losing the therapeutic benefits.

By the end of the typical 8–10-week period, the patient’s foot stump has generally healed and is ready for the next step – be it a custom orthopaedic shoe, a partial foot prosthesis, or further rehab. The Body Armor Pro Term will have played an essential role in getting to that point. It’s essentially a conservative treatment tool that reduces complications (like stump ulceration or contracture) and prepares the patient for long-term mobility.

For sarcoma patients who have lost part of their foot, this device offers a measure of normalcy in the interim – they can wear a supportive boot and walk, rather than being confined to bed or a wheelchair while waiting for healing. In the UK, Algeos is proud to distribute the Pro Term orthosis as part of a comprehensive post-amputation care plan, working with prosthetists and physiotherapists to ensure patients have continuity of support from day one after surgery to the day they receive their definitive prosthetic solution.

Recovering from sarcoma surgery – whether limb-sparing or amputation – is a journey that tests patience, resilience, and the body’s capacity to heal. Alongside skilled medical care and rehabilitation, having the right orthotic devices at the right time can significantly improve a patient’s experience and outcomes.

At Algeos, we support sarcoma patients and their healthcare providers through this journey. In partnership with DARCO, a globally respected brand for orthopaedic rehabilitation products, we offer a range of post-operative orthoses tailored to different stages of limb salvage surgery rehab and amputation recovery.

For UK sarcoma patients and the healthcare teams assisting them, these solutions are readily accessible. We work closely with rehabilitation services to ensure that product education and fitting guidance are available – so each device can be used to its fullest benefit. Our mission is to help integrate such post-op orthoses into standard sarcoma care, complementing NHS rehabilitation pathways with cutting-edge orthopaedic technology.

If you or someone you know is navigating sarcoma recovery, consider discussing with your medical team how orthotic supports like DARCO’s range could fit into the rehab plan. For clinicians, physiotherapists, and prosthetists, explore the DARCO range on the Algeos website and reach out for professional inquiries or trials. By incorporating these orthotic innovations, we can collectively improve sarcoma post-op care – helping patients heal, mobilise, and thrive after surgery.

Learn more about Algeos and the DARCO orthotic products for post-operative rehabilitation on our website or contact our team for expert advice on choosing the right solution for your needs. With the combined power of medical expertise and advanced orthoses, sarcoma patients can look forward to greater comfort, confidence, and mobility on the road to recovery.

 

References

  1. Sarcoma UK – “Does Size Matter?” (Sarcoma statistics in the UK)sarcoma.org.uk.
  2. NHS – Treatment for soft tissue sarcoma (limb-sparing surgery vs amputation)nhs.uk.
  3. Macmillan Cancer Support – Limb-sparing surgery (rehabilitation team and braces after surgery)macmillan.org.uk.
  4. Sarcoma UK – Sarcoma incidence (Less than 2% of UK cancers)sarcoma.org.uk.
  5. J. Bone Joint Surg. Br. 2010;92(3):424-9 – Limb salvage for soft-tissue sarcomas of the foot and ankle (functional outcomes of limb salvage)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.