Tag Archives: non weight bearing

How to Shovel Snow When Wearing A Boot, Cast, Brace, or While On Crutches

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 in the snow.

So, when it comes to shoveling snow while injured, the answer to the question “How do I shovel snow when injured?” is, “Don’t!”

~Annette
Feel Better, Heal Better!

What to Wear While On Crutches

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If you’ve had surgery or injured yourself and you’re in the non-weight-bearing status and on crutches, you are likely struggling with a lot of things on a daily basis. Of course, you are wondering how you are supposed to get up and downstairs, but even worse, you must be struggling with basic things like showering and getting dressed! With these helpful hints, you should have a better idea of how to dress for the success of your recovery. Here are some suggestions on what you should wear while on crutches.

-Suggestion 1: The Right Fit
When you are on crutches, you do not want to wear clothing that is too tight or constrictive, which would make it harder to move and make you even more hot and sweaty than you already are. You also do not want to wear loose and baggy clothing that could cause you to trip. Find things in your wardrobe that fit properly, not too tight, not too baggy!

-Suggestion 2: Comfort is Key
When you are dealing with crutches and the hazards of being in a non-weight-bearing status, you need to think about comfort above anything else, other than safety, of course! If you have clothing that is not of the utmost comfort, forget those items for now, and focus on being comfortable while you recover. Some pants have a zipper opening which is very helpful when putting/pulling pants on and off for a bulky cast or boot.

-Suggestion 3: A Stable Shoe
It might be strange to pick out just one shoe to wear, but when you have a foot or leg injury, it’s all you need. Choose your shoe with care because with only one foot to get where you need to go, you need to make sure your shoe is comfortable and easy to get off and on, without sliding off unexpectedly. The shoe needs to be supportive, too, so you don’t cause your good foot any more grief than the extra use it’s already getting.

-Suggestion 4: Cut Offs or Elastic
It might be rather painful to pull anything over your injured area for a while, so you might want to consider cutting off some of your old pants and making them into shorts, so they do not aggravate the injury. If that’s not your first choice, buy some pants with elastic (such as sweatpants,) so they can easily stretch over your injured leg.

CastCoverz! CrutchWear

-Suggestion 5: CastCoverz!
You might feel like you lack style and creativity during the recovery process since you are dressing for comfort and not aesthetics. CastCoverz! to the rescue! CastCoverz! offers fun and functional products that comfort orthopedic patients. We have fashionable and solid-color braces and cast covers that slip right over your orthopedic device to keep it clean and scratch-free. CrutchWear relieves under-arm and palm-of-your hand pain from crutches with oh-so-comfy and cool designer crutch pads. Add some personality and color to an otherwise not-so-fun time in your life. You can buy one that matches everything or mix it up with many fabrics to choose from, for kids and adults alike!

-Suggestion 6: Options OTHER than Crutches
You might feel as though your crutches are the one accessory you can’t get rid of, but that doesn’t have to be the case. There are three great alternatives to help those who struggle with crutches. A Steerable Knee Scooter, the Seated Scooter, and the iWALK3.0 Hands Free Crutch all can help you get around easier, faster, and with more freedom than you can imagine.

With these suggestions, you should be able to choose the perfect clothing items to help you get through the recovery process, with as much comfort and ease as possible. Keep in mind that all of your clothes will be waiting for you when you’re off those crutches. In fact, you’ll feel like you have a whole new wardrobe!

Breaking Barriers: Ultimate Workout & Recovery Offers Adaptive Exercise

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A broken bone, a fun and functional cast cover, and… you’re still able to workout?! As with any injury, CastCoverz! customers know that rest and recovery are KEY ingredients for proper healing. But, this puts active lifestyles on the back burner. Wobbling around the gym on crutches, a boot, or trying to lift a weight with one arm in a sling isn’t what the doctor ordered or the team at CastCoverz! So, what do you do while your limbs are limping? And how do you maintain muscle strength for the rest of your body while you’re recovering? There is a NEW and intriguing innovation for those who are limited by injuries facing serious rehabilitation or have adaptive exercise needs. Introducing, the Ultimate Workout and Recovery adaptive exercise system designed for the injured in mind:

Ultimate Workout & Recovery is a cutting edge technology that provides adaptive exercise and strength training for those who face these injury-related limitations or have adaptive exercise needs. The company offers several different devices that can be assembled around a bed, recliner or wheelchair, living up to its name as “The Complete Exercise and Convenience Gym.” The apparatus is a unique tool to aid both in rehabilitation and muscle atrophy prevention. As you can imagine, a body at rest slowly loses strength, endurance, and flexibility. The series of resistance bands that accompany the system help to strengthen and maintain overall muscle function. To learn more visit https://www.workoutandrecovery.com/

Things to Love About Non-Weight Bearing Lifestyle

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Guest Post by Goodbye Crutches

When you break your ankle or have foot/ankle surgery, your doctor tells you to remain non-weight bearing for the time being. It’s easy to think of all of the inconveniences of being on crutches, but let’s stay positive! Here are a few things you are bound to love about the non-weight bearing lifestyle!

Extra Attention
Though you may not want people surrounding you and doting on your every need, you have to admit, the extra attention is kind of nice. When was the last time your husband offered to make dinner or your wife took out the trash? Friends have offered to run your errands and are calling to check in on you. You are getting some much needed extra attention, soak it up while you can!

Time!!!
You lead a busy life. With work, kids, family gatherings, and many daily activities, it can be hard to slow down and do some of the things you really want to do. You will have to rest, and while you do that, why not catch up on that magazine pile or watch a few good movies you’ve missed? You can’t be as active during recovery, but everyone enjoys a good rest now and then!

Your Mobility Options
There aren’t many people that love being on crutches, but with today’s modern technology on your side, you have options! Goodbye Crutches has three mobility devices from which to choose. The Seated Scooter, the Knee Scooter, and the iWALKFree Hands Free Crutch. Inspect the details on all three devices and choose the one that is best for you. If you need the use of your hands, the iWALKFree Hands Free Crutch might be the one for you. If you need extra energy, the Seated Scooter allows you to be mobile, while staying seated. If you want to be fast and efficient, perhaps the Knee Scooter is best. Whichever device you choose, they’re all fun, easy to use, and will be something you love about the non-weight bearing lifestyle.

Style
About Us Sept 2013 Everyone tires of their wardrobe from time to time, and when you’re dealing with an orthopedic event, getting dressed can certainly be more difficult. But, you can look on the bright side and add CastCoverz! orthopedic accessories to your life. These covers for casts, braces, walking boots, crutches, and more can blend right in or make a fashion statement with a variety of fabrics from bold and vibrant to solid and neutral. Not only do they add style, they add function by keeping your cast clean and snag-free, becoming your best asset during the recovery process.

The non-weight bearing lifestyle is hard, there’s not doubt about it. Instead of dwelling on the inconveniences, think about the parts you are bound to love. With a smile on your face and love in your heart, the recovery process will go by much faster.

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 #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.