Broken Ankle Survival Supplies

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!

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Hi, we’re Megan and Wendy! Join us every Thursday on Long Story Short: The Podcast as we rediscover the things that bring us joy! Podcast topics cover everyday life, parenting, fashion, beauty, pop culture and more!