Tag Archives: crutch pads

Basic Information About Casts (The Top 7 FAQ’s and 1 Smelly Fact)

 

Question and Answer - Canva

 

Before my daughter, Elli, broke her first bone, I really didn’t know anything about casts, let alone how to care for one. But after 12 broken bones, and serving hundreds of thousands of customers, I am a verified expert and I want to pass on what I learned to you. Following are cast newbies most frequent questions and my answers. In short, here’s some basic information about casts:  Continue reading

Not every broken bone needs a cast

Submitted by Annette d. Giacomazzi, Owner and Founder of CastCoverz!™, America’s #1 trusted brand of orthopedic covers and accessories.

Annette’s daughter, Elli, was the inspiration for CastCoverz! when she suffered her 6th broken bone, at the age of 10.  Read more about that story here.  

My 17 year old daughter and I were in a serious car accident two months ago. Elli suffered the greatest with a broken femur and collarbone.  We were hit by an unlicensed driver who ran a red light, then struck a vehicle which launched him airborne, until he slammed into my daughter who was sitting in the front passenger seat of my car. You can’t see it in the picture, but the truck’s wheel imprint was just 1 foot behind where my daughter sat.  3 cars were totalled and the jaws of life had to be used to extricate her fromIMG952240 the car.  It was the most helpless feeling a mother could ever have.   And nothing ever prepares you to witness your child throwing up in a cervical collar.  The next day, a rod was literally hammered up into her femur and screws installed into her hip and knee. Instead of having a 5 inch scar across her shoulder, she chose to have her collarbone heal on its own.

At a time when most 17 year olds are looking at Forever 21 or Hollister brands, Elli’s accessories were a hospital bed and wheelchair.  The doctor had an in-your-face description of her condition, “while she heals, she doesn’t have the use of 50% of her body.” She couldn’t roll over in bed, brush her hair, or brush her teeth. I will honor my daughter by not describing more of what she couldn’t do or what she needed help with. Imagine being a 17 year old girl wanting to assert your independence during your much anticipated senior summer, now once again totally dependent on your mother. My heart ached for her. She needed 3 people to get her out of bed and into the wheelchair, an excruciating, exhausting event for her. I had to give her shots in her skinny belly so she wouldn’t die of blood clots due to laying flat. No matter how much she needed me, I thanked God every time she called for me, whether it was 5 times in 20 minutes or the middle of the night due to hallucinations from the pain medications.  That’s because the alternative, loss of limb, paralysis, or death, could have been our reality.

There wasn’t a dry eye as she was wheeled across her high school auditorium by friends to receive her graduation diploma. Even though my daughter lost her senior summer, blessedly, she will mostly recover from her physical injuries.  Two and a half months later, she uses her wheelchair for long excursions (farmer’s market, shopping, etc…) and crutches for shorter stints (around the house, to the movies). She’s finally back in her own bed and bedroom surrounded by her familiar pictures, soft pillows and fuzzy blankets. She’s even starting to go out with friends. Sidebar: Elli has amazing, rise-to-the-occasion friends. Their visits were just as important as the any medicine or therapy and I welcomed each and every one of them.  They made her laugh until she was exhausted.  Check out this blog post and pic of Elli with her big-hearted  friends. Even her boyfriend, Chad, completely stepped up to the plate during this mind-blowing experience demonstrating tremendous allegiance and patience, at such a young age.  

This horrific nightmare didn’t stop my Elli.  Still in a wheelchair or crutches, she is volunteering next week, her 6th year, for Vacation 2015-07-08-16-25-22Bible School at our church, and she’s worked a few hours at CastCoverz! for spending money (thankfully, there is only so much of the Kardashians you can watch). After securing a handicapped dorm room, in 3 short weeks from now, we drop her off at Auburn University in Alabama, 2,300 miles from home, to begin her college career. Amazingly, she’s excited about it.  Bless her heart. Bless her great big “I’m-not-letting-anything-stop-me-from-living-a-great-life” heart.

In no way do I minimize her condition, but it is a miracle that Elli “only” broke bones. Her femur and collar bone are broken bones number 11 and 12 and neither require a cast, so no covers from CastCoverz! to make her “Feel Better, so she could Heal Better.” But, she could hand-pick as many designer Slingz! she wanted, and chose a rainbow of designer color crutches and crutch covers.  In addition, our awesome team of sewists, tailored her clothes to accommodate a broken collar bone and femur.   Best of all, the CastCoverz! team kept the business humming along while I stayed home to care for Elli and to recoup from my two surgeries. 

God, side airbags and my big ole’ burb saved my daughter’s life.  Angels came dressed as friends who made her laugh and helped her with year-end school projects.  More angels delivered home-cooked delicious meals and were also disguised as employees who went out of their way so a mother could care for her badly broken daughter. We are blessed.  So very, very blessed.   

 

 

Introducing a New Form of Mobility During Recovery!

Guest post by Goodbye Crutches

There are many tools on the market to help you through the recovery process, in addition to a number of comfort and care products. The Comfy Cozy Toe Cover and Shower Stool,  from Goodbye Crutches, help with your comfort and care, while cast, brace, walking boot, and crutch covers, along with waterproof cast protectors and the CastCooler, from CastCoverz!, offer style and comfort. But, no one item is more important than your mobility aid! Many people use crutches and do okay on them, but there are devices out there that can help you get around easier, faster, and even help you speed up the recovery process.

The iWALKFree Hands Free Crutch was exactly that type of mobility device. Many people used and loved the Hands Free Crutch. But, now there’s an even better device…the iWALK2.0! This device is similar to the Hands Free Crutch with a few key improvements. Take a look…

iWALK 2.0The iWALK2.0 is…

-Easier to take off and put on
There are three adjustable straps that cinch around your leg in three spots to help you stand and walk with ease. All you have to do is put your knee on the padded platform and cinch the straps in the right places and you are good to go. With a few tugs on each strap, you can undo the device and sit down with ease.

-Less expensive
The Hands Free Crutch was quite affordable at $399 and available for rent. But the iWALK2.0 is even better at just $149. The new version of the Hands Free Crutch is no longer available to rent because it is priced so low that renting would not be to the advantage of any customer.

-Lightweight
The 2.0 version of the Hands Free Crutch is even lighter than before. You can move quickly, easily, and even faster than ever. The light weight also helps you lift and store the 2.0 crutch, when you aren’t using it. You won’t have to worry about lugging a heavy mobility device with you wherever you go.

-Adjustable
The past version of the Hands Free Crutch was adjustable, but it was complicated. The iWALK2.0 is easy to adjust for height. It requires no tools and no cutting. You can even adjust it day-to-day, based on the shoe you wear on the other foot!

-Easy to learn
The iWALK2.0 is simple to learn, though it may take a few hours or more to figure out how to operate it properly. Once you learn how it works and how to operate it, you will be off and running.

When it comes to mobility, you’re the only one who knows what works best for you. Take a look at the iWALK2.0 and think about whether or not it will fit into your lifestyle and recovery needs. If you want to have your hands free for other uses while you get around as fast as you used to, it might be a good option for you! Goodbye Crutches has the iWALK2.0 available for you to inspect, as well as several other mobility devices, like the Seated Scooter and Knee Scooter.

5 Tips for Going Back to School on Crutches

Guest Post by Goodbye Crutches

Back to school on crutchesGoing back to school can be exciting and challenging all at the same time. When your child is on crutches, it’s a whole new ball game with plenty of new rules thrown into the mix. Here are five tips to help you prepare your child for going back to school on crutches and helping the experience go as smoothly as possible.

 

Tip#1:  Talk to the School

You will want to let the school know about your child’s condition. He might need to take medications or have a few extra minutes between classes to get around. He might also need to be excused from gym class or have extra help at lunch. Arrange as much as you can in advance with the school, so there are no surprises for him or the school on the first day.

Tip#2:  Arrange Help with Friends

Find out which of your child’s friends are in his classes and talk to them before school starts. Ask if they wouldn’t mind helping carry his books, lunch tray, and anything else he might need help with. Most friends will be more than willing to help, but you could offer a special ice cream treat or a movie adventure at the end of the recovery period as a thank you.

Tip#3:  Look into Alternatives to Crutches

boy_scooter_thumb-resized-600If your child struggles on crutches at home, surely he will have even more trouble at school. One of the best things you can do for him is to look into another mobility device that will help him get around easier. Goodbye Crutches has three options including the Knee Scooter, Seated Scooter and Hands Free Crutch. Look at the details on each and see which would fit your child’s activity level and lifestyle the best. Goodbye Crutches has a number of other products that can help your child with his recovery, as well, both at school and at home.

Tip#4:  Think about Style

PrintsCombo__65624.1366341893.1280.1280If your child would like to add some personality to his cast or would prefer concealing it, CastCoverz! cast covers slip on easily over the cast and come in a wide variety of colors and stylish fabrics. Not only do cast covers help your child stand out or blend in, depending on his personality, they keep the cast clean and snag-free! Who wants to look at an ugly, dirty cast or have his favorite clothing and furniture snagged from the rough casting material? CastCoverz! provides many other fun and functional products that comfort orthopedic patients; such as, designer color crutches, CastCooler for relief from itchy, stinky casts, the CastShield waterproof cast protector for bathing, and DryPro waterproof cover for swimming and going to the beach. Style and comfort help orthopedic patients feel better, so they heal better.

Tip#5:  Pamper Him at Home

Once your child gets home from school, he will be extremely tired from the long day of getting around on crutches. Pamper him as much as possible by bringing his snack to him on the couch and letting him lounge around more than usual, so he can store up as much energy as possible for the next day.

Going back to school always has its challenges. But, when you’re on crutches, it can be even more challenging. We hope these 5 tips will help you prepare in advance and help your child get through his orthopedic recovery experience while going to school.