Things you might need
Also check the Donated Achilles Equipment for any free equipment donations.
- To help you get around
- To help you with showering
- Waterproof Cast Covers for swimming
- Physical Therapy, Stretching, and Rehab products
- Ron’s list of items that may aid you in healing.
Things that you may need for your recovery.
- Brace: (Click here for Smish’s review of this product in the comments section.)
- Compression Socks:
- Shower Chair with back support: (I have this one, and it was very useful.)
- FLA Orthopedics Cast Protector - Half Leg
- Elasto-Gel Hot/Cold Foot and Ankle Wrap
- Silipos Achilles Heel Pad
- AchilloTrain brace
- Mederma® Cream W/spf 30, 1.76-Ounce Tubes
- Medline Rollator:
- Tuli’s Gel Polar Bears Heel Gel Cup, Regular (Ladies)
- Halo Heel Cushion, Men
- AchillesBlog T-shirt
I found a medical supply store online that has a wide selection of goodies for the ATR recovery folks. (Support Pillows, Shower Chairs, Shower Transfer benches). I haven’t purchased anything from them yet, so if you do buy something from them, please let me know how they are: TheMedicalClub.com
Hey all-
Goodwill lends out medical equipment. My sister works for Goodwill and she told me this after I ruptured my Achilles tendon. You just tell them your injury and they will supply you with a bunch of great stuff! I was able to borrow a wheelchair, a shower stool, a toilet seat with handles, and a grabber thingy (which helps when my husband leaves the remotes out of my arm’s reach). These items have made it much easier to keep weight off my foot.
You can find more information here: http://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/site/PageServer?pagename=serv_sup_MedEquip
Oops I think that might be just in Minnesota though.
Bri -
Thanks for that info! I’ve posted that on:
http://achillesblog.com/things-you-might-need/donated-achilles-equipment/
Would not be able to survive this ordeal without my ROLLATOR. I have one at home and one at the office. Wal-Greens & Sam’s Club carry them. I kneel on a small pillow and off I go. At first, my co-workers laughed and said I looked like those dogs without back legs… but now that they see how much is involved with this type of injury, all laughing has ended. Especially when I whip out that BEAUTIFUL scar.
Erin Pellien (back-to-back Achilles rupture sufferer)
I suggest that all people w/ lower leg injuries look at knee walkers. After my ATL injury I started on crutches, went to a walker after falling, and finally after much research bought a Drive knee walker 780HD (up to 500lb). I kept falling w/ the crutches, did better w/ the walker, but both took lots of effort, and I felt tired fast. I received the KW ~ a week after surgery and was able to easily move around the house and shopping. You can stop and “stand” when you get tired, not just dangle. It is also easier to get in and out of the tub instead if kneeling on the tub side. The breaks are about useless, but are unnecessary unless you encounter steep hills. I even use it on uneven ground (very slow and carefully) in the backyard and to the barns. The front does NOT pivot, which I thought made it more stable, and less prone to fall over.
I’d give it an 8/10
Sells for Low to Mid $200 on Ebay
Medco-school.com–go to bandages and dressings and you’ll find Elasto-gel Sterile Wound Dressing. I am using these pads to cover the lower part of my very irritated incision, while wearing shoes. You can cut the pad to fit the size of the area you want to cover and then I hold it in place with a gauze/ace bandage just thinly wrapped. I have found some relief from the burning incision area while using it today. My PT sold me one 4×4 sheet for $7.00 last night, but it’s a better deal to purchase online…..
Anyway, this is the first product (tried different shoes, socks, inserts, etc.) that has given me some relief from the irritation while in shoes. Any questions, just ask me and I’d be happy to explain further.
Happy Healing to all…….
Marianne
Forgot to add, go to “advanced healing dressings” after bandages and dressings…..
I’m in public relations and just about to kick off my annual national Media Tour. WIth several media events I need to be mobile. I’ve been speaking wtih the designer of the “hands-free” crutch (www.iwalk-free.com) and will be getting a fitting in a few days. I’ll post my progress and photos ASAP.
Anyone know of any UK based sites?
If anyone is interested, here are some discounts for Footsmart.com:
Free Shipping on Foot and Lower Body Health Products over $60 (code: WBFREEFH) exp: 10/20/08
15% Off of Socks and Hoisery (code: WBSOCK15) exp: 10/20/08
One more:
15% Off All Propet Shoes (code: WBPROPE1) exp: 10/20/08
If you’re on crutches or recuperating in the winter you may want some ice & snow traction cleats that go over boots. I was in a cast last winter after rupturing my Achilles in October. Since it’s icy and snowy here in Maine I had to be really careful on crutches, and then even after I was out of the cast. And be aware once you get inside, too — I once slipped on my kitchen floor because there was still ice on the bottom of my crutches! Very scary.
Stephanie - There is this ice grip attachment for crutches: http://achillesblog.com/things-you-might-need/to-help-you-get-around/
I ordered a one crutch platform from the states (http://www.onecrutch.com) and bought a pair of ‘contraband’ underarm crutches on e-bay to use with it.
They only offer you with elbow crutches in the UK because they’ve been brainwashed to believe that everyone using underarm crutches is going to end up with permanent nerve damage… not true, and they refuse to believe that milions of Americans use underarm crutches every day.
It took a few minutes and a drill to fix the platform to one of the crutches, but it was easy to do and with the platform I could do pretty much anything I would normally do, even carry a hot cup of tea to the couch without spilling it.
It was a much cheaper alternative than a rollator and because I was using the upper half of my leg, I didn’t lose as much strength in it.
One useful thing - a flask. You need to drink and tend not to drink hot drinks cos you can’t carry a mug without spilling. But a flask can be put in a bag and carried, acts as a cup, gives you several drinks when you want and is cheap.
A compression wrap, mine is from physioroom, has gel compartments and the whole thing gets chilled and then put on. Read my blog!
One low-tech aid that has been helpful to me while on crutches was to put an office chair with rollers in each room og hr house (I happened to have three of these chairs): kitchen, BR, etc. and roll around the room in it instead of hopping on crutches. Was especially useful in the kitchen where you constantly need to carry and move things. Must be careful to put all your weight on the good leg when getting up out of the chair and back onto crutches.
10 days on crutches and counting - 5 more to go.
I rolled everywhere in my office chair when I went back to school- it got to the point where everyone would know when I twas coming down the hall.
Deanne (aka DREAMS)
A virtual pharmacy, a live in physio, and another partner for when you/they can bear it no longer! A replacement one for when first goes out. A site like this….x
Hey! I think your blog is good. I llke it :).
5 weeks in. In the moon walker boot from the operation. Mid tendon Achilles rupture. 12 months of slight tendenitis that slowly increased. 2 mins from the end of the game and whamo. Just been on crutches for the 5 weeks, plenty of swelling still on occasions. I had five wedges under my heel in my boot taking out 1 wedge a week until now where I am slowly getting back to 90 degrees. Start in the pool next week with 30% load bearing and work towards boot off after 12 weeks. This is killing me sitting and laying around. Has any one else had this style of rehab.
Any body out there who can rent me the boot and wedges? I had an ATR in Nov 2011… Almost unheard of in my country so did non surgery.
All the items I see on the net are not available here and I’d appreciate info on how to get a lease on them…
EMail dorangara@yahoo.co.uk
Definitely get a knee walker…rent one at http://www.kneewalker.com
I rented the Swivelmate for two months and it was a godsend. I was supremely happy to pack it up last week and ship it back but would have had a much more difficult time without it.
Now on to PT.
I used http://www.rentakneewalker.com…sorry!
For sore shoulders from a lot of crutching around, I am using a “TENS”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation
I am using this one
http://www.target.com/p/omron-electrotherapy-tens-pain-relief-device/-/A-14898718#prodSlot=medium_1_7&term=omron
It is the basic model, but does the trick. There are more expensive models with more options. This basic unit has five power settings:
1-3 don’t seem to do anything in my case
4 usually somewhat weak
5 typically way too strong (muscles spasm painfully)
The actual “power” varies a lot with the spots the electrodes are applied to, state of the skin (conductivity) and cleaning state of the pads (they collect dust, skin particles, lint etc. and lose conductivity and stickiness but can be cleaned a few times)
Still, or even more so, I am hoping that the the more expensive models will have more fine grain adjustment options.
Other than that - this for me is a great helper as it eliminates soreness almost entirely.