▁alg inate ▁dress ings . ▁Bi olog ically ▁active ▁band ages ▁that ▁combine ▁hydro gel ▁and ▁hydro col lo id ▁tra its ▁are ▁available , ▁however ▁more ▁research ▁needs ▁to ▁be ▁conducted ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁effic acy ▁of ▁this ▁option ▁over ▁others . ▁ ▁Total ▁contact ▁casting ▁Total ▁contact ▁casting ▁( T CC ) ▁is ▁a ▁spe cially ▁designed ▁cast ▁designed ▁to ▁take ▁weight ▁of ▁the ▁foot ▁( off - loading ) ▁in ▁patients ▁with ▁D F Us . ▁Red uc ing ▁pressure ▁on ▁the ▁w ound ▁by ▁taking ▁weight ▁of ▁the ▁foot ▁has ▁proven ▁to ▁be ▁very ▁effective ▁in ▁D F U ▁treatment . ▁D F Us ▁are ▁a ▁major ▁factor ▁leading ▁to ▁lower ▁leg ▁am put ations ▁among ▁the ▁di ab etic ▁population ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁with ▁ 8 5 % ▁of ▁am put ations ▁in ▁di abet ics ▁being ▁preced ed ▁by ▁a ▁D F U . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁ 5 ▁year ▁post - am putation ▁mort ality ▁rate ▁among ▁di abet ics ▁is ▁estimated ▁at ▁around ▁ 4 5 % ▁for ▁those ▁suffering ▁from ▁ne urop ath ic ▁D F Us . ▁ ▁T CC ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁for ▁off - loading ▁D F Us ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁since ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁is ▁regarded ▁by ▁many ▁pract ition ers ▁as ▁the ▁“ reference ▁standard ” ▁for ▁off - loading ▁the ▁bottom ▁surface ▁( sole ) ▁of ▁the ▁foot . ▁ ▁T CC ▁helps ▁patients ▁to ▁maintain ▁their ▁quality ▁of ▁life . ▁By