rachelmanija | Not-really-gory photos

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Not-really-gory photos

Do not click unless you are in the mood for "Wanna see my broken foot?" Cut for photos of bruised foot (and a cat).

The photos don't really do it justice, especially of the top of the foot - there's very dark bruising at the base of my toes that didn't show up well. On the bottom, the bruise is actually darker and extends to the side of the foot. However, you can see how it's swollen so all the wrinkles have vanished. The red marks are from pre-existing blisters, not blood poisoning. ;)

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It is. If the doctor tells me I have to sleep with the boot I'm going to demand painkillers, because that hurt so much that I've been taking it off before bed.

Huh. When I sprained my ankle last fall the doctor wanted me on continuous NSAIDs to keep the swelling down. Different doctors, different methods.

I haven't seen my actual doctor (a podiatrist) yet. He may well advise that.

You've experienced this far, far more than I, but isn't the doctor-to-doctor handoff maddening?

Yep. I'm bringing an older white man along as backup as there's three things I want to flat out demand even if he doesn't want to do them.

1. Forearm crutches. NOW.

2. Check ankle and knee, do more detailed scan of foot.

3. Better boot or cast for foot.

4. Referral to PT as soon as it's medically possible.

Those sound like excellent things to insist on.

You can just get the crutches, you don't need a prescription or anything from a doctor. They're on Amazon. Height of the adjustable part should be such that you do not hunch shoulders when using them. If you're going to be on them awhile or walking on them a lot, it can be good to have spare tips on hand.

Oh! Good to know, thanks. I'll see if I can get them prescribed as then my insurance should cover at least some of the cost, but otherwise, Amazon it is.

There must be a sizing guide somewhere. You've been given overlarge armpit crutches (I think they only carry one size honestly and they fit about 25% of the people who use them). On the forearm crutches, you care about height of the stick part (adjustable but you are wanting a shorter one to begin with) and watch also the length of the part that runs from below elbow to wrist. Too short and it will strain your wrist, too long and it will be uncomfortable and hook on your clothes and not work.

A lot of US orthos don't use them or don't know how to fit them. You may be on your own there.

On using them---you're pretty fit, a key thing is, use core muscles for stabilizing yourself; drawing down shoulder blades and firing that bra-band muscle set (forget the name) when you swing yourself off stairs or curbs is very helpful. Put the crutches down securely, lean forward onto them, touch down with good foot.

Good luck, you'll be much more comfortable with them.

Thanks, that's very helpful. I take it you have personal experience?

Not personal-to-me, but I lived with a broken leg sufferer who found the forearm crutches liberating and watched another person with a broken leg find them transformative as well, and I have a good friend who uses them always; we've talked about the mechanics of it and the reluctance of the US medical industry to adopt them. There's an association with polio, I think, and some idea that they're for cases of paralysis, MS, chronic illness; but they're really better for everyone who needs crutches.

Yes! I just listened to a podcast on this exact topic: https://www.outsideonline.com/2376996/can-we-please-kill-crutches

Yeah, one of the FEW people I saw in the 90s who had forearm crutches had had polio as a kid. I still don't see them around too often as general mobility aids.

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rydra_wong - 2019-03-25 21:48 (UTC) - Expand

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kore - 2019-03-26 03:27 (UTC) - Expand

When my father broke his ankle in the UK, he was given forearm crutches. I borrowed them from him when I badly injured my foot a couple years later. Haddayr has spent years telling me just how much better they are than shoulder crutches so I was an easy sell.

(She also enthusiastically recommends tornado tips for them, but that's going to be less crucial given that you're using these temporarily. She really likes the extra shock absorption those offer, though.)

THEY ALWAYS FREAKING GIVE YOU CRUTCHES THAT ARE TOO BIG

I AM 6' AND SOMEHOW THE ER DEPT FOUND OVERSIZED CRUTCHES

Wow, that really says it all.

I think I probably landed smack in the middle of "too small for men's, too huge for women's," which also happens to me with jeans and shoes.

I don't have a car, so I didn't do this, but while you're injured, a temporary handicapped parking permit might make it easier to get around?

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rachelmanija - 2019-03-25 02:17 (UTC) - Expand

Good how-to guide:

https://www.rcem.ac.uk/docs/Local%20Guidelines_DischargeAdvice/12ei.%20Elbow%20crutches%20(Oxford%20University%20Hospitals,%202015).pdf

For stairs, sans handrail: going up, you move your good leg up first, then the crutches follow. Going down, crutches go down a step first first, thenleg follows.

Tutorials:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/medicines-and-medical-aids/walking-aids/using-crutches

Thank you! You are a lifesaver.

I fell on my broken foot last time because the crutches weren't stable enough for me to rest my weight on and then step up with my good foot. And everyone told me my crutches were unusable on steps and to scoot up on my butt, which 1) not ideal, 2) my apartment has a high step before the stairs start, so if you sit down to scoot up that, you're then stranded and can't get up or reach the start of the stairs. That is a BAD DESIGN. Actually, that step is too. Why not a ramp?

I pass it on as it was passed onto me!

And yes, I would not rec trying this on underarm crutches. But IIRC I got quite chill about stairs on the forearm crutches; more tiring than having both legs to do it with, but definitely do-able.

(I have two flights of stairs in my home and worked out how to parkour up them braced between the handrail and the wall on the other side, no crutches at all.)

No wonder you could do 50 pull-ups by the time you were off them!

Hmm. I think my stairs are too wide for that. I have short little arms.

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rydra_wong - 2019-03-26 08:38 (UTC) - Expand

Yeah, seriously, WHY NOT a ramp? And/or why have stairs in random places that don't need them?

A gym I went to was very old-style (concrete everywhere), and its women's changing room had a little barrier step in front of both the shower (which can make some sense from drainage perspectives) *and* the toilet area. It was completely maddening, accessibility-wise.

Also, rec I got from one of my doctors: cycling gloves make crutch use more comfy.

Fingerless or with fingers?

I got a prescription for forearm crutches! Hopefully I can pick them up tomorrow. The nearest medical supply store turned out to be closed on Mondays, and his office didn't carry them.

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rydra_wong - 2019-03-25 21:45 (UTC) - Expand

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rydra_wong - 2019-04-02 10:34 (UTC) - Expand

Those all sound good. The ER and the follow-up GP also had me on higher than usual quantities of Advil, for my bad sprain, like mme-hardy's did. They did a REALLY space age scan of my foot, too -- detailed x-rays from different angles that they didn't have to wait to develop but could read right there.

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