Category Archives: CastCoverz

5 Tips for Going Back to School on Crutches

Guest Post by Goodbye Crutches

Going 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

If 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

If 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.

8 Things You Must Know About Wearing a Cast

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If you have injured a bone or ligament, or had surgery, your doctor may choose to apply a cast. A cast will immobilize the injured area to allow healing. Wearing a cast will feel awkward and inconvenient, but here are some important things you should know.

5 Things You Must Know About Wearing a Cast:

1. The most important thing you must know about wearing a cast is to keep it DRY! This is the #1 request of orthopedic doctors. If your cast gets wet and becomes gooey inside, your skin could get raw and quite possibly infected (ewww), while the cast loses it’s integrity…Oh No! Fear not, CastCoverz! will help you keep your cast dry, clean, and scratch & snag-free with fabric cast covers and waterproof cast protectors, which allow you to bathe and swim, while keeping your cast dry! If you have to be injured, might as well add some personality with cast covers and have a little fun with waterproof protectors!

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2. Keep your broken bone elevated above the level of your heart, especially in the first 24-48 hours. This will be crucial in helping reduce the swelling and pain.

3. Know that it is very normal to lose muscle mass in the area that is casted. When your cast is removed, you will notice your arm or leg being very scrawny and weak (gasp!,) this is to be expected. No worries, you’ll gain your muscle mass back in no time!

4. Do not stick anything inside your cast, especially sharp objects to scratch an itch. This can cause a skin breakdown, your incision to get infected, or your item could get lost in the abyss of your cast (uh-oh!) If you have an itch, try the CastCooler®. This dad-invented product reduces itch and keeps your cast fresh and odor-free by drying out the moisture in the lining. All you need is the hose of your vacuum cleaner! It’s a BLAST of fresh air for your icky, stinky, itchy cast.

5. Feeling claustrophobic from your cast? With the CastCooler, the cool, fresh air will relieve that stifling feeling. What a relief! Side benefit of the CastCooler: It will dry out your cast, if accidentally spilled or splashed on, especially these hot summer days!

6. Your cast will scratch and catch everything in sight…your favorite sweater, those expensive Egyptian sheets, car upholstery, Fido the family dog, Grandma’s dining room table, and everything you can imagine! Keep your cast clean and protect your favorite items and people by wearing CastCoverz! daily! These fashionable and functional cast covers come in a wide variety of fabrics from solid colors to bold, vibrant prints.

7. Casts get dirty and are just plain ugly! Prevent daily grime, spaghetti sauce, and coffee stains from putting a damper on your day. It’s bound to happen, but with CastCoverz!, you’re covered because we care! Our fabric cast covers will hide the grime and give your cast some personality. Go bold, go beautiful, or stay neutral with our wide variety of fabrics. Simply remove and hand wash to keep your cover clean.

8. Please call your doctor if you experience any of the following; swelling, fever, cast feels too tight or too loose, cast breaks or cracks, or if you have ANY questions or concerns about your condition or care of your cast.

For more info on cast care, check out the following article: Care of Casts and Splints by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. With proper cast care, a cast will do it’s job and promote healing effectiveness!

How to Stay Cool During the Summer on Crutches

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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
One 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
Crutches 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

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!

In 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!

5 Extra Items to Pack for Vacation When Non-Weight Bearing

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Guest Post by Goodbye Crutches

When you are packing for your family vacation, you have a lot on your mind. You have to think of anything and everything you and everyone else going will need for your time away. Add to that your current non-weight bearing state and you have even more to think about. This list will help you think of the additional items you need to pack to keep your recovery on track.

Goodbye Crutches Knee Scooter 1. Mobility Device

It seems silly to remind you to pack your crutches or the mobility device you have chosen from Goodbye Crutches, but you have to make sure you have room for this important item. The Knee Scooter and the Seated Scooter fold up to fit in your car nicely, and the Hands Free Crutch doesn’t take up much space. But, if you’re still on crutches, you definitely need to plan ahead to make sure you have space.

2. Prescriptions

When you are recovering from an injury or recent surgery, you are probably on anti-inflammatory, pain medication, or any number of other prescriptions. Not only will you want to pack these medications, but also make sure you have enough to last for the duration of your trip. Do a little counting in advance and if you need to get a refill, allow yourself enough time to pick it up and prepare it before you go.

3. Recovery Aids

If you shower using a Shower Bench, or cannot bear the heat without the regular use of the CastCooler, be sure to bring these items with you. The point of a vacation is to relax and get away from it all, and you will want to be as comfortable as possible during your time away. Whatever items make your life easier, and your recovery possible, should go along with you.

aboutusseptember2013final-wo-200 4. CastCoverz!

You pack your clothes without a second thought, but this year you also need to think about throwing your CastCoverz! cast, walking boot, or crutch covers into the suitcase. Think about which covers will go with the outfits you are taking and pack them along with the rest of your clothes. They will help your cast blend in or stand out, whichever you prefer, along with keeping it clean and snag-free.

5. Entertainment

No matter what type of vacation you are taking, there is bound to be a time when your family wants to do something you either can’t do or don’t have the energy for. When you are stuck on the beach while everyone is playing in the ocean or sitting on the bench while the others ride roller coasters, have a few entertainment items ready to go. Grab an extra paperback or two or start cutting down on your magazine pile. You can rest, relax, enjoy your vacation, and wait for your family all at the same time.

Preparing for a vacation when you are in a non-weight bearing state can be difficult, but if you use the Knee Scooter or another mobility device from Goodbye Crutches and think ahead, your vacation will be fun and enjoyable, just as it should be.