Tag Archives: CastCooler

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:

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

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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 →

Introducing a New Form of Mobility During Recovery!

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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 2.0 The 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.

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!