Broken ankle equipment and tips

I’ve actually been intending to put together a list of useful “equipment” for several days now. I’m sure I’ve left some things out but without further ado, here is a list of things that are right handy to have if you’ve have a broken ankle.

First and foremost,– a caregiver – friends, family, whomever. You are not going to be able to do a lot, especially at the beginning so make sure you have someone willing to help with cooking, transportation, etc. People, myself included initially, will often assume you are merely inconvenienced by your surgery. They may also assume you are able to take care of yourself and your surroundings. This is not the case. Ask for help if you need it!

Unless you really feel comfortable with crutches I’d advise using a combo of a walker and a wheelchair. Since I fell on crutches and found them cumbersome, I refused to use them and feel much more secure with the walker.

Pillows, pillows, pillows. I never thought I’d be able to sleep on my back but anything is possible. I personally found propping my bad leg with pillows and using a wedge (snore) pillow at my back to be quite effective. Many people have also reported that using a body pillow, or beanbag, or ergonomic pillow to be effective in propping the leg. Addendum, I got an ergonomic pillow a must have!

If at possible access to the internet. Not only does it provide entertainment but there is a wealth of useful information out there. My two favorite websites: http://www.mybrokenleg.com; http://www.livestrong.com. Youtube also has tons of stuff on it including, if you are so inclined, videos of actual surgeries.

Any entertainment source that will keep you from going barmy as you lie there with your foot elevated. I found books, magazines with pretty pictures, crossword puzzles, and Hulu all to be quite useful.

For bathing an overhead shower spray and a bath bench are rumored to be handy. I can attest to the shower head but haven’t quite mastered the bath bench yet.

Clothing – go for comfortable and forget fashionable. Make sure they are easy pull on/off type of items. Sweatpants are de rigeur. Get really warm socks for the good foot/leg . You’d be amazed at how cold it gets. You may also need jackets/sweaters that are easy on/off as well. Since we aren’t moving around a lot we tend to have poor circulation which equals cold body parts.

A couple of tips – keep everything you think you’ll need at an accessible level. You’ll find out quickly enough things you’ve forgotten but a few examples would be: your toothbrush, wash cloth, plateware, snacks, etc. Also make sure you have some way of carrying things while in the walker and/or chair. I have saddlebags on my walker so I can carry basic things around the house.

Communication with an outside world is also vital. I have a friend who calls twice a day as well as other friends who call or e-mail several times a week. It is almost a gaurentee that you’ll have some depression and having other humans that are not medical personnel really helps.