Tag Archives: 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
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.

Orthopedic Products to Make Your Recovery Easier

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Guest Blog Post by Goodbye Crutches:

So, you’re stuck on one foot for the time being. And you’re not too happy about it, either! With today’s modern technology on your side, there are many products that can help make your recovery easier. You don’t have to suffer through it, with no comforts whatsoever. Here are a few items that can help your pain, mobility, comfort, and life in general, as you recover.

Item #1: Alternatives to Crutches

If hobbling around on crutches is simply too hard, take heart! You don’t have to! You can look into one of three alternatives to crutches from Goodbye Crutches, that can help you get where you want to go. Some allow you the use of your hands, too. The Hands Free Crutch, for example, straps right to your bad leg and lets you walk much like normal, with both of your hands free at all times. The Knee Walker, on the other hand, is a wheeled device that lets you retain your balance while you scoot yourself from place to place. And the Seated Scooter is a great option for those who want to get in as much rest as possible, while moving around at the same time.

Item #2: CastShield Waterproof Protector
Taking a shower with a cast is quite an ordeal. You know you aren’t supposed to get it wet, but how can you do that and still get clean? The CastShield allows you to cover your cast, so you don’t get moisture beneath it. It is reusable and comes in a set of two, so you can keep one in the shower and one in your travel bag.

Item #3: Shower Bench
Once your cast is covered, you can safely shower without getting your cast wet, but that still doesn’t help you balance while you lather, rinse and repeat. The Adjustable Shower Bench, however, allows you to sit and shower, so you don’t have to worry about slipping or just getting off balance. You can finally enjoy your showers again without additional hazards.

Item #4: CastCooler
If your cast starts to itch and smell, in the past the only thing you could do was wait it out and suffer. Some people would even take a wire hanger and stick it down the cast, but that certainly isn’t a good idea. Today, there’s the CastCooler! This device attaches to your cast and your vacuum and it sucks the moisture out from beneath the cast. It leaves you with a cool, fresh, clean feeling.

Item #5: Cozy Toe Warmer
If you have a cast and your toes stick out on the end, they are exposed and cold during much of your recovery. You could try to stretch a sock over your toes, but those socks are hard to get on and off and they don’t really do a good job as it is. The Cozy Toe Warmer fits over your toes like a slipper and straps around the back of your cast with adjustable Velcro. It keeps your toes dry and warm and can even be washed if you get it dirty.

Item #6: CastCoverz!

aboutusseptember2013final-wo-200

If you’re wearing a cast, boot, splint, brace, or sling, CastCoverz! provides fun and functional products that cover orthopedic devices, offering much needed comfort from scratching, snagging, and so much more. While on crutches, CrutchWear is a must to make those standard-issue crutches more bearable. No matter what the orthopedic event, CastCoverz! has got you covered!

Halloween Safety Tips While on Crutches

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Halloween on Crutches

Guest Blog By Goodbye Crutches

Halloween is a very fun holiday. Halloween on crutches? Not so fun. In fact, it can be downright dangerous. Children darting around you from every side in the dark…all day activities…costume hazards…there’s bound to be something that will stall or even lengthen your recovery process. In order to make it through the day on one leg, here are a few safety tips.

Tip #1: Acquire the Proper Lighting – In past years, a glow stick might have been enough lighting for you when you take your kids out trick or treating. This year, you really need to be able to see where you’re going. Make sure you take a bright flash light along and have someone shine it in your path at all times. Something as simple as a crack in the sidewalk could trip you up and bring you down.
Tip #2: Keep Rest at the Top of the List – There are a lot of activities you could participate in on Halloween. There are class parties, neighborhood gatherings, trick or treating and plenty of other options. Other years, you might do it all and enjoy it. This year, however, you need to keep rest at the top of your list of activities. Choose your favorite event and then save your energy for that activity. Overextending yourself could put your recovery on a backward slide.
Tip #3: Think about Costume Safety – If you plan to dress up this year, you will want your costume to be safe above anything else. That means it can’t have anything hanging from it that you could get tangled up in as you walk. It also shouldn’t have a mask that restricts your vision. And it should be loose enough that you aren’t restricted in your motions in any way. You might have to sacrifice some of the appearance of your get up, but when you are injured and on crutches, safety has to come first.
Tip #4: Consider Event Alternatives – It might be hard to consider skipping out on trick or treating the old fashioned way, but when you are on crutches, you will have to make some sacrifices for your health. If you don’t feel you can trick or treat with your kids in a safe manner, don’t despair. There are other options likely available in your community. See if your local mall has a trick or treat night, for example. You would be inside in a well lit environment where you could sit and rest on a bench any time you need a break.
Tip #5: Look into Alternatives to Crutches – If you don’t feel completely stable on your crutches, there are other options on the market from Goodbye Crutches. The Hands Free Crutch, for example, straps to your bad leg and acts as a replacement. It looks like a peg leg, which is great for Halloween, and it allows you to use both your hands to carry a treat bag and hold a child’s hand when crossing the street. The Knee Scooter is another great option. This wheeled device gives you better balance and stability, plus it allows you to keep up with anyone on two legs, no matter how fast they are. And the Seated Scooter is a wonderful way to get the rest you need despite how much you do since you will have a seat with you everywhere you go. All three options are available from Goodbye Crutches along with many other recovery aid items.

You might have to make a few adjustments to your plans this Halloween, but if you are able to stay safe and keep your recovery on track, they will be worth it.