CastCoverz! creates fun and functional fashions for casts, braces, splints and boots. Our products, our service and our blog helps people feel better so they heal better. We'd love your comments, cast cover stories, broken bones stories and tips!
Tip #1 DON’T DO IT! Yep! Shoveling snow while you are not able to properly bear weight is just not a smart thing to do. Seriously! There’s no way to stand and properly balance yourself, or to turn and pivot correctly without ending flat on your face with the great risk of more injury.
Tip #2 Help the Local Economy and Hire Neighborhood Kids
Pay the kids in the neighborhood their going rate to shovel your yard and sidewalk. You’re keeping them out of trouble, they make a little change, and you get to stay snug in your warm home sipping hot apple cider. As an added bonus – you don’t end up having another injury.
Tip #3 Ask for Help
OK, so you may not want the neighborhood kids doing the job (maybe they’re charging a premium for their services!), but you need help. ASK FOR IT. Simple as that! Family, friends, members of your church or community groups. Use them. They can only help if you ask.
Just say no and back away from the shovel (or snow-blower)! As your non-medical broken bone expert and healing advocate, you must trust me on this! I’ve dealt with a lot of broken bones (my daughter has had 12!) and heard horror stories from our customers who have made the mistake of thinking they could shovel snow while on crutches (try picturing it and the disastrous results). If you are using any kind of orthopedic device (boot, cast, brace, crutches, knee-walker) you are compromised, which means you must take extra care, and sometimes you just can’t do it all. Shoveling snow is one of those situations. Your boots, crutches, casts, knee-walkers are not built for traction inthesnow.
So, when it comes to shoveling snow while injured, the answer to the question “How do I shovel snow when injured?” is, “Don’t!”
Helpful information for anyone on crutches this winter season!
Nursing an injury during winter poses many risks and challenges. Any other season seems awkward enough getting around on crutches, but add snow and ice into the mix and disaster awaits. Of course, precautions and steps can be made to reduce the dangers and possibility of further injuries (and without becoming a hermit).
Crutches are going to be dangerous no matter what, but here are 5 safety tips to help you handle the winter months on crutches:
Keep Crutches in Good Working Condition
In order to make sure crutches are as stable as possible, you will want them to be in the best possible working order. Even at the slightest show of wear, get new tips. New tips will help prevent sliding on the snow and ice. Since the tips grip the ground, a little wear can cause an accident. You can also purchase ice grip tips to help get even better traction on snow and ice. Also, make sure the crutches are adjusted to fit you perfectly so you can walk upright as comfortably and slowly as possible.
Use Sand or Salt
Keep some sidewalk salt or sand in your car with you at all times. Whenever you have to get out somewhere that looks slippery spread a little sand or salt right outside your car door so you can get your crutches and steady yourself as safe as possible. You will want to keep your driveway and sidewalks salted as well, but when you have no control over the street conditions, keep that salt and sand handy to do the best at keeping yourself safe.
Alternatives to Crutches
No matter how well you do on crutches, they still pose a risk when used in the winter. The Seated Scooter, for example, is a wheeled device that allows you to sit and scoot yourself from place to place while keeping your bad leg elevated and out of the way. You will remain stable at all times in the seated position and you don’t have to worry about slipping at all. The Knee Scooter works much the same way, only you stand and place the knee of your bad leg on the padded area. You have handlebars to keep you stable and a basket to carry your keys and other items. Even The Hands-Free Crutch is a better option than crutches. This device attaches to your bad leg and allows you to walk much like normal while retaining the use of your hands. Having your hands available to balance you is never a bad thing in the winter.
Ask for Help
Independence is important, but when it comes to your safety, sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Ask friends and family members to run some of your errands for you so you don’t have to venture out into the cold, icy weather. When you do go out, try to have someone meet you at your car to help usher you inside safely. Having one injury is bad enough; you don’t want to add another to it.
Think of Comfort
In order to advance your recovery, you need to think of your comfort, as well as your safety. Things like cold toes can not only be uncomfortable and irritating, but also dangerous in colder temperatures. CastCoverz! Sleeperz! for leg casts (arm casts too!) and Sleeping Bagz! for boots are made from soft fleece to keep your toes warm and cozy, while protecting your sheets from snags and cooties, too! Be sure to check out our Bootz! and BootGuardzXtreme! to keep your toes & boots protected from the elements and clean while wearing a walking boot out in snowy and rainy conditions. Think through other comfort levels and research what you can do to fix them during the winter months.
Safety must be a high priority for you while you recover. And while safety should always be at the forefront, winter creates more obstacles to consider (and are often overlooked). Think ahead and use these tips to get yourself to the other side of the season safely, on crutches.
Baby, it’s COLD outside! Winter is here, and if you’re wearing a cast, brace, or orthopedic walking boot, staying warm can be a challenge! CastCoverz! has the ultimate solutions to keep you cozy, protect your skin and bedding, and add comfort to your recovery. Whether you’re dealing with a broken bone, sprain, or post-surgery healing, our fleece covers provide warmth, protection, and relief all winter long.
Sleeperz! cast covers, for arms and legs, are made of oh-so-soft fleece to keep your arms, legs, and toes cozy and warm! Not only do these covers help you stay warm and snuggly, they also eliminate the scratches received from casts rubbing against other body parts, sheets, furniture, and your loved ones too! Yes, Sleeperz! cast covers help provide a restful night’s sleep, which has been proven to aid healing, but they are not just for sleeping! Sleeperz! are the perfect accessory for any time of the day, especially during this COLD winter season.
How about keeping your toes warm if you have to wear your walking boot to
bed? Sleeping Bagz!, in comfy-cozy fleece or simple solids, not only keep your toes warm, they also protect your sheets, and keep the cooties on the bottom of your boot, in the bag!
At CastCoverz!, we understand the discomfort, frustration, and inconvenience of wearing a cast, brace, or walking boot—especially in the cold! Stay warm, cozy, and protected this holiday and winter season with our specially designed covers. Comfort leads to better healing, and we’re here to help! Shop CastCoverz! today and experience a warmer, more comfortable recovery.
If you’re in an orthopedic walking boot, don’t let rain, sleet, snow or sand stop you from getting around. At CastCoverz!® we’ve got products that will protect your boot AND keep your toes clean and dry or toasty warm in extreme weather.
BootGuardzXtreme!Boot covers for snowy, frigid conditions! Brrrrrrr!
BootzGuardzXtreme! is the best boot cover for EXTREME conditions. These are weatherproof, water-resistant covers for your orthopedic walking boot to protect your boot and toes from wind, rain and snow. The sole/tread of your orthopedic walking boot is exposed for proper footing and safety.
If you have a post-op shoe or sandal (see picture) please contact our office, directly, for proper sizing.
No zippers on our cover means easy on and off and no frozen zippers! 2 hook and loop strips ensure an adjustable, snug fit.
We recommend adding the optional front-panel toasty liner to your BootGuardzXtreme! to keep your toes and leg warm.
If you have a leg cast, read on…
Slickerz! Weatherproof covers for leg casts.
Got leg cast? Our Slickerz! cast covers are designed to keep your cast and toes clean and dry from rain, slush, and snow (and sand, too!). Made for non-weight bearing casts, you can check out our designs and learn more about Slickerz! here.
Rain, wind, sleet, snow (and even sand), our BootGuardzXtreme! will keep your orthopedic boot dry and your leg, foot and toes warm and toasty. Slickerz! will keep your leg cast dry and your leg and toes warm, and toasty!
At CastCoverz! we know that a warm, dry boot (or cast) can make the difference between a good day and a GREAT day!
