Tag Archives: summer

CastCoverz! celebrates the USA!

When our 7 year old broke her leg on July 2nd, I had the ER doc wrap her long leg cast in red, then white, then blue casting tape. Creative, right?  Instead of showing her patriotism, she looked like a barber pole. But, that was before CastCoverz! was born. We’ve made it much easier for you to show your patriotism!

CastCoverz! keeps you covered in RED, WHITE & BLUE, as you honor the Land of the FREE because of the BRAVE!

From machine-washable fabrics to customized trim & media pockets (available in Slingz!), we’ve got the perfect accessories to keep your orthopedic device CLEAN, GERM-FREE and to prevent scratching or snagging.

View ALL of your patriotic options on our website: https://www.castcoverz.com

#4thofJuly #USA

Cast Claustrophobia Syndrome: How to Keep Your Cool in a Cast!

Diagnosis: Cast Claustrophobia Syndrome

Are you in a cast?  Are you hot? Of course you are! Doesn’t matter the season, hot or cold, casts get hot.  Think about it- you have layers of cotton next to your skin, wrapped with tape and finished with a glue that hardens to form a protective shell.  Can you say claustrophobic?  

Regardless of age or activity level (even lying on a couch watching tv) humans perspire; it’s our natural body regulating and cooling device! 

Wearing a cast prevents this cooling process to occur.  The heat you feel radiating from your body is REAL, it’s just trapped inside your cast.

Fighting that sticky discomfort is another uncomfortable part of wearing a cast, regardless of the time of year. When your arm or leg is itchy & hot you might find yourself getting heated and possibly anxious about your cast.  At CastCoverz!, we call this Cast Claustrophobia Syndrome.

Luckily, we’ve got some cool suggestions for helping you “keep your chill” while wearing a cast. 

Keeping Your Cool

CastCooler: We’ve been a HUGE fan of CastCooler ever since the company made their debut. One determined dad invented this device to help alleviate discomfort while wearing a cast.  Their website states, “by creating a gentle vacuum on the outside of your cast or splint, airflow is directed through the lining of your cast/splint. This airflow immediately removes moisture and cools your skin. Without touching your skin, bacteria, itch, and odor are significantly reduced, and your cast stays fresh.” All you need is a vacuum with a hose.  Check out their website for more info on this game-changing product, as well as a handful of awesome testimonials!

Oh, and it’s nearly indestructible! So, tuck it up on the top shelf of your medicine cabinet for the next injury in your family (we hope not! 🙂 ) OR we know someone in your circle (friends, neighbors, family, classmates, co-workers) will be in a cast and you can gift it to them!  You’ll be loved forevermore for your thoughtful get-well gift. 

Staying Hydrated: There are plenty of reasons to stay hydrated throughout the day, but a primary reason is that it helps your body stay cool! Sipping ice-cold water (even if you’re not feeling thirsty) will help lower your body temperature, therefore, cooling off your casted limb. You’d be surprised how much better and energized you feel when you’re well-hydrated! 

An Icy Washcloth: Placing a damp washcloth in the freezer for a few hours and then placing it behind your neck or on your forehead is an instant fix for cooling down! While we don’t recommend placing an icy washcloth on your cast, you can try placing it around your elbow or behind your knee near the cast; this will at least help cool off the surrounding areas and wick away sweat in proximity to your cast.

Tip: Keep a good supply of ice packs and/or a bag of frozen peas handy.  They can be strategically laid on top of a cast to help cool it (wrap it in a dishcloth to prevent condensation from getting your cast moist).

It’s KEY to avoid getting moisture inside your cast! Moisture and/or getting your cast wet can affect the efficacy of the cast and you could get maceration…a smelly, itchy skin condition.  The last thing you want to deal with while healing it this uncomfortable irritant!

Take a Dip with AquaShieldUSA: Who doesn’t want to dip into a pool on a hot summer day?! Maybe you’re planning a trip to the beach and wanting to enjoy the waves? Whatever your hot summer day antidote is, we’ve got you covered! AquaShieldUSA is a watertight cast protector that seals around your limb, allowing you to keep your cast dry as you cool off! Don’t have a pool or a beach?  Fill your tub with cool, tepid water! As you can imagine, finding the correct size in this product is essential for proper sealing (no leakage); check out the sizing chart on our website to make sure you cast will be sealed properly for ultimate protection!

 

Overcoming Cast Claustrophobia Syndrome

At the end of the day, it’s still frustrating to deal with an itchy, smelly cast as temperatures rise! Just remember- this is only temporary! Just as the seasons change, so does the state of your healing injuries.  With proper care and rest, you’ll be out of your cast in no time! Stay positive and “keep your cool” while sporting your cast! Don’t let your elusive “cast claustrophobia syndrome” get the best of you.

What creative ways have you or a loved one cooled off while in a cast?  Help your fellow members of the Broken Bones Club, by sharing your family-friendly ways to cool off while wearing a cast, below: 

how-to-stay-cool-during-the-summer-on-crutches

How to Stay Cool During the Summer on Crutches

The summer heat can make anyone miserable, but if you have to spend it on crutches, you are worse off than ever before. Having your injured foot or ankle in a walking boot or cast will only make that area sweat even more. Not to mention itch! There are ways you can stay cool during the summer months, even if you have a non-weight bearing injury. Here are some ideas to help you out.

Utilize the CastCooler for Comfort and Relief
girlwcast_261One of the best things you can do for yourself, while in a cast, is invest in a CastCooler. The CastCooler is a great device you simply wrap around your cast, attach to a standard vacuum cleaner hose, turn the vacuum on, and voila, the air removes moisture from the lining under your cast. It will leave you with a cool, fresh feeling that will help you from getting itchy in places you can’t access and keep your cast dry. When your injured area feels cool and fresh, the rest of you will feel cool as well.

Get an Alternative to Crutches
Goodbye Crutches Knee ScooterCrutches take a lot of work and when you’re moving around in the summer heat, you’re going to get hot fast. With the Hands Free Crutch, you can walk much like normal and get around very quickly. The Knee Scooter is easy to use and when you scoot yourself fast enough, you can even make your own breeze. The Seated Scooter allows you to sit and move around so you can rest and keep the sweating to a minimum.

Stay Inside
When the weather predictors are telling you about heat warnings and the danger of a high heat index, you should stay inside and keep cool. Your health is a priority during the recovery process and if you have to spoil yourself a little by staying in the cool air conditioning, then do so.

Drink More Water
One of the ways to help yourself feel cooler on the outside is by keeping your insides hydrated. Drink cool water continuously while you are out in the heat. You will feel better and the water will help keep you cool. You can also put the cool bottle on the back of your neck, forehead, or wherever else is feeling hot to give you some temporary relief.

Submerge in Water with DryPro
DryPro customer

If you have a cast on your foot, you can’t just jump into a pool, unless you have the DryPro Waterproof Cast Protector.  But, that doesn’t mean you can’t at least put one foot in the water. Use your kid’s little blow up pool and sink one foot into the cool water while you watch them play. You might even ask the kids to squirt you with their squirt guns this year!

CastCoverz!

Group Photo with CCZ products and AdGIn order to feel a different kind of cool, take a look at the variety of CastCoverz! you can purchase to hide or jazz up your plain, boring cast, while keeping it clean and snag-free! CastCoverz! provides FUNctional and fashionable orthopedic accessories such as cast covers, walking boot covers, designer color crutches & crutch pads, in addition to comfort and care products. Take the attention off your injury and put it onto your fun and fashionable cast cover instead!

Staying cool during the hot summer months can be a challenge, especially with a non-weight bearing injury. But with a little planning and the above tips, you can ward off a little bit of the misery!

Super Summer Cast Cover Review

While we never like to hear that any child has broken bones, we are relieved when our CastCoverz! products can come to aid and truly help deliver our “Feel Better, Heal Better” mantra.

Jessie Lucas, writer, photographer and mom wrote an amazing (hugz to you Jessie!) blog post where she reviewed our cast covers on the Eighty MPH Mom blog.

Three days before a vacation in Daytona Beach, Jessie’s 7 year old daughter ended up in a cast (UGH!)
Here are some darling pics of her little cutie wearing our “Cupcake Cuties” Armz! cast cover!

You can read the full CastCoverz! Review on the Eighty MPH Mom blog.

Your review made our day!  So glad we could help be a summer cast cover solution.  We agree…wishing the review would have happened sooner, so your daughter could have enjoyed more of summer with our waterproof cast covers!