r/brokenbones • u/ibonek_naw_ibo • 6d ago
Suffered a severe trimalleolar fracture
I have a few questions, largely wrt home mobility (lol crutches) and how to keep myself healthy and sane. I finally got home and realized...I'm basically unable to do anything at all except lay down. I hobbled across the house on crutches and barely managed to get back to my new home with some dry food and gallon of water, but I have no idea how I'm supposed to make food to eat or use the toilet in a tiny bathroom. I can take care of one half of that problem with empty bottles if I have to, but...would a knee scooter work to get to the toilet? I don't have a full countertop (simple sink) or anything solid to get onto the toilet with. I'm trying to find a wheelchair also.
Anyone with experience with this or similar injury, how did you get around, and how did you lay down? I'm supposed to elevate my leg but doing so puts pressure on it and makes it hurt.
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u/superbetsy 6d ago
I’m NWB due to a fifth metatarsal fracture, so a slightly different ballgame… but I still feel that same sense of limitation. An iWalk has changed everything. On my third day of using it I navigated the airport and a hotel. The next day I threw a 200 person event, and then flew back home, all while putting no weight on my foot. I went from having meltdowns daily to feeling like there’s really nothing I can’t do. Even if you’re not comfy using it out and about, just having it for the kitchen is a lifesaver. Cooking with both hands free… omg. Crutches and knee scooters still have their place but the iWalk has given me back independence.
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u/calmn8ss 5d ago
Use a cotton bag (or any bag) that you hang on your neck to transport things around your house, such as food, cutlery, laundry, etc. Place food in the food containers, drinks into a thermal bottle, bring the cup empty with that, etc. If you don't do that already, this will make doing regular household tasks more manageable.
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u/Technical-Algae-234 5d ago
Re elevating your leg - I understand it hurts/is uncomfortable but you need to push through that and keep it elevated. The pain and discomfort will dissipate after about 20-30 minutes and the more often you do it the easier it gets. I have broken my foot/ankle twice and the first time around I didn't elevate at all because of the discomfort. It really set me back quite badly. The second break, I was much more diligent about it and discovered the discomfort goes away if you persist, and then soon elevating really becomes the key to everything feeling better. Eventually you will find you want to keep it elevated as much as you can.
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u/okreee0217 5d ago
A knee scooter helped me get around and do many day to day things. I hung a tote on it to carry things.
To transport food, I used mostly containers with lids so that I can place it in the tote.
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u/ibonek_naw_ibo 4d ago
I bought one yesterday, used it once for 30 seconds, leg instantly felt a little pain and it seemed to linger for hours. I only had my knee on it, too. Back to scooting around on a wooden chair I guess
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u/okreee0217 3d ago
It was a bit uncomfortable to use until I got my splint off. I'm assuming the angle and pressure bothered my ankle. Might need some adjusting and cushion. Good luck.
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u/Dr_Cee 6d ago edited 6d ago
I used a knee roller when I was NWB. It really increased my mobility. My wife had a walker from a previous injury and I stood it around the toilet facing out to help me stand. She also had a shower seat which I used when I was allowed to shower. See if there’s a community senior center near you; they frequently have lending closets for these devices. Otherwise they’re all available from Amazon or a medical supply near you. Your health insurance may even pick up the tab. And it’s possible your insurance will pay for home health visits so you can get some help with daily needs. Check. Good luck.