This is a guest post by Andrew from Patient Handling. Dealing with a broken leg is undoubtedly an arduous endeavor. It requires you to majorly alter your lifestyle in order to carry out the simplest of tasks. This may result in you feeling helpless and dependent, which can be extremely frustrating. Therefore, it is important to deal with the day-to-day activities in an effective manner in order to make it easier for you to cope with your predicament.
The following 5 tips will help you to manage your day to day activities with a broken leg:
Moving Around
This is obviously the biggest challenge that you will face. You can’t afford to put pressure on your broken leg and can’t compromise on mobility, at the same time. Therefore, you should use a walker, which will allow you to easily move around in a stable and convenient manner.
You can also use crutches to support your leg but this isn’t a feasible option for many people. A crutch requires considerable upper body strength and, therefore, can be difficult to use. A better alternative to a crutch will be a walking cane but you have to be careful that your doctors approve of it. The reason for this is that a walking cane will require you to put a little pressure on your foot in order to maintain balance. This is an absolute no-no in the early stages of your injury.
Taking a Shower
Yes, it is possible to take a shower while protecting your cast at the same time.
All you need to do is to create a strong protective layer over your cast by wrapping around layers of plastic and towels over it and secured them by duct tape. This may sound a bit too much but you absolutely can’t afford water leaking into your cast and, therefore, it is a necessary measure.
Once you are done with creating your protective shield, you are ready to take a shower. Use a water proof chair that is facing away from the water to enjoy a normal shower (almost!).
Maneuvering the Stairs
This is one of the biggest challenges that people with broken legs facing moving up and down stairs. In order to tackle it, you will first have to swallow your pride because you can’t go and up down the stairs in a standing position.
You will have to sit down on the step and raise your self up and down, as required, to maneuvers the stairs. Have someone bring the walker/crutch for you or you can choose to have two or one for each level.
Swallow Your Pride
You may completely resent being dependent on others but you should realize that it is okay to ask for help. This is only a temporary condition and others will be more than happy to assist you, provided you are not being a nuisance.
Keeping Your Spirits High
It can be quite distressing when you think about how restricted your life has become after breaking your leg. Therefore, rather than focusing on what you cant do, you should improvise and make the most of your situation. Take it as a special rest period that you have been granted and enjoy the vast variety of activities that you can still do.
If you have anything to add to this post, please feel free to Post a comment or share your thoughts through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or comment section below to join the conversation.
