Tag Archives: castcoverz

Halloween Tips for the Injured

Guest post by Goodbye Crutches

Halloween is such a fun time of the year. You get to dress up in costume…go house to house and gather candy…and just have an all around good time with friends. When you injure yourself, you may think the fun has come to an abrupt halt. But, that doesn’t have to be the case. There are still things you can do to enjoy Halloween despite, or perhaps even because, of your injury. Here are a few tips to help the holiday remain enjoyable.

Tip#1: Find the Perfect Costume
Creating a costume for yourself on crutches is a new challenge, but there are plenty of ideas out there. You could be an injured soldier; for example, or perhaps a sports person who got injured during play. You could include your crutches by transforming them into wings and going as a bird or you could even do the old-fashioned mummy costume and use the crutches to support the theme. There are plenty of ways to dress around your crutches and even ways to include them.

Tip#2: Stay Safe
You will want to make sure that safety is your highest goal on Halloween. When you are injured, safety is more important than ever. You will want to choose a costume that allows you to move unhindered and one that will not trip you up. You will also want to make sure your flashlight has fresh batteries so you can see your path at all times.

Tip#3: Grab a Different Mobility Device
If you really want to enjoy the day, consider getting a mobility device other than crutches.
Goodbye Crutches has plenty to offer and each device has its advantages on Halloween and beyond. The Hands Free Crutch, for example, is easy to walk in and allows you the use of both of your hands at all times. It also makes a great peg leg on a pirate costume! The Knee Scooter allows you to zoom around the neighborhood quickly, and with ease, and the Seated Scooter gives you a place to sit and rest throughout the evening. Any of the devices can be a lot easier on your recovery process on Halloween or any other day.

Tip#4: Consider Fashion
If you’ve found the perfect costume, the last thing you want is for your cast to stick out and not blend in. Check out CastCoverz! for covers for all orthopedic devices, such as a cast, brace, walking boot, or crutches, and see if you can find something that will fit the costume perfectly. There are enough fabric choices and options that you should be able to find the perfect cover and fit, and then think about getting a few other options for the rest of the season!

Tip#5: Have Fun
It might take a little more planning this year, but you can still enjoy Halloween and have fun, even in a non-weight bearing status. Plan ahead, and make some adjustments, so you can get the rest you need and enjoy the day!

5 Tips for Going Back to School on Crutches

Leave a reply

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

Leave a reply

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!

TimelinePhoto3

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

Leave a reply

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!