I feel your pain.
Hi, I’m Wendy. I broke my left ankle in February and today I’m sharing all the broken ankle survival supplies you’re going to need if you’ve found yourself in a similar situation.
Broken arm? Had one of those a few years ago, too. Here’s what you’re going to need for that.
Breaking a bone as an independent adult is quite humbling. I was home alone when I fell in my garage. Luckily I was able to get myself up, hobble into the house, and call Megan to come to my rescue. I had a feeling my ankle was broken. Sometimes you just know.
As we waited at the slowest urgent care ever, Megan poked fun at my impending needs. A shower chair, something called an iWalk, and one of those stair lifts. The last one was a joke but something I wish I had when I was crawling up the stairs like a toddler.
Things to Make Life Easier with a Broken Ankle
I broke my left fibula below the ankle joint. Thankfully this injury didn’t require surgery and because of the location of the break it only required a boot, not a cast.
You’ll definitely need crutches and a pillow for elevation.
- Healthex Leg Elevation Pillow with Memory Foam Top ($32.98). Highly rated on Amazon. An elevation pillow is vital to relieve swelling and improve circulation.
- Lightweight aluminum crutches ($29.85). You’ll likely get a pair coming home from the hospital but if you don’t – grab these.
- Dr Kay’s Adjustable Shower Stool ($39.48). This is the exact stool I bought while waiting at urgent care. It’s been a huge lifesaver. I’m not sure how I would shower otherwise. It’s sturdy and I feel safe on it.
- Comfpack Reusable Ice Pack ($23.90). Ice therapy is vital to recovery.
- Compression Socks
Knee Scooters and Hands-Free Crutches
Thankfully a friend offered up a used knee scooter so I didn’t have to buy one for myself. It’s been a lifesaver. A knee scooter is extremely helpful in regaining mobility. Some additional pros: easy to use, basket for transporting items. Some cons: hard to use on rugs or carpet, cumbersome to get into car or upstairs, may cause knee soreness.
- RINKMO Knee Scooter with basket (less than $90)
- Removable 3″ thick memory foam cover for knee scooter ($29.99)
I’d recommend sourcing a used knee scooter from friends, family, or Facebook Marketplace. I only had to use the scooter for about three weeks.
- iWALK Hands Free Crutch ($150)
Many people suggested an iWalk Hands Free Crutch. Of course I ordered it thinking it would solve my mobility issues getting up and down stairs, and I could potentially use it for showering. Turns out, I am too uncoordinated to use such a device. It wasn’t for me, but the reviews are great on Amazon.
Things to Promote Healing
When I broke my ankle, I was seven-weeks from leaving on a trip that was going to require a lot of walking. My intentions were to get this broken bone healed quickly. I don’t have any medical advice or knowledge but here’s the things I tried to speed up the process (if that’s even possible).
- To minimize bruising and help reduce swelling, I used this CBD lotion for pain relief from Apothecanna.
- Dry brushing to help improve circulation (blood flow is slowest in the feet because they are the furthest from the heart). Dry brush with long handle ($16).
- Mini massage gun to massage muscles in the overworked leg, as well as in the underworked leg. Huge pain reliever for me! Comfier Mini Massage Gun with four attachments ($42)
- Mini 5 lb. dumbbell set ($18) My doctor recommended using doing some mini dumbbell reps to get my heart pumping. This will get the blood pumping and circulating better in the feet.
- I haven’t yet tried this but I read a TENS unit can also help with pain relief. We have one at home already for my husband’s achy back. This TENS unit is nicely priced and highly rated ($32).
Broken Bone Supplements
For me, two broken bones in three years is a lot. The orthopedist was worried that my bones looked “soft” in the x-ray images. I wasn’t totally surprised by this information as I have a long history of health issues that would be contributing factors.
This doesn’t mean I can’t make some healthy changes. These are the supplements I added into my new vitamin routine.
- For Vitamin-D deficiency: Replesta 50,000 IU D3 Cholecalciferol ($25/8 weeks)
- Calcium supplement
- Bone Matrix from Heart & Soil (this is not for vegans)
- Bone Marrow and Liver Supplement from Heart & Soil (also not for vegans)
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
We’re Your New Best Friends
Hi, we’re Megan and Wendy your midlife besties! Join us on Patreon every Monday where we’re talking everyday life, pop culture, and more!
You can also find us on “Girls Gone Hallmark” on Tuesdays and Thursdays where we review new and fan-favorite Hallmark movies and ask the question: Did you see that?
