Your top tips for a single parent with school run about to be on crutches for 6 weeks.

[Ostryga]

I am due to have a short leg cast next week due to complicated plantar fasciitis.

I’m taking the time off work, so currently it’s just the school run that will be my biggest nemesis.

What do I wear that will fit over my cast? How do I not get it soaked if it’s raining? How do I even use crutches

Any other words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated!

As fellow non weight bearing in cast mum currently (4 weeks in, 8 to go!!!). Talk to school and see what they suggest with regards getting other parents to help at least for first 2-3 weeks whilst you adjust. That takes you to half term then you might feel able to do it yourself. Using crutches and not being able to use your leg to even balance yourself is really tiring.

I was on crutches for 3 months back in 2007, the first 6 weeks being non load bearing. I found the simplest tasks impossible to do. I didn’t have my DDs then, which made it much simpler.

You really should ask the other mum for help, at least initially until you’re more used to using the crutches. Even a 3 minute walk to school will take so much longer than you expect and it will be doubly difficult with your DC.

I’m sure the other mum will be willing to help, as she goes past your house anyway. I certainly would in her shoes. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to return the favour in the future.

The thing I found hardest on crutches was how sore my hands got, I had to put a sponge type thing around the handles.

Also don’t be hard on yourself to do everything as you usually would, if you need to rely on takeaways more, do more activities inside than out etc. then do that

I've been on crutches for 16 years. A 3 minute walk will be no trouble after a couple of days. It will take you longer than 3 minutes but you will be fine.

DS2 was on them for 6 weeks when he was 5. He was whizzing about like a mad thing before the first week was up.

If it's on the level, or not any steep hills then I would see if you can hire a self propelling wheelchair, especially for the non weight bearing weeks. Crutches are hard work. When I broke my ankle my dh took over the school run for several weeks. I really only got back to taking them too and from school when I could put a bit of weight through my foot and pretty much on one crutch. I wasn't hugely confident on crutches at the start and used a Zimmer frame (even harder to use over a long distance which I wasn't expecting)

Crutches till the door if you must then a wheeled walker or knee scooter. Or two walkers one indoors one out. I’d not put much hope with managing with crutches.

I’m currently in a walking boot now and using crutches, I spent six months alone in a long leg cast, sarmiento and then a short leg cast before the boot.

I fell down some steps and obliterated my tibia, fibula, ankle and some toes in my left leg. Chose to avoid surgery and heal conservatively as I didn’t feel I’d cope well with the surgery mentally.

I’m not going to lie it’s been incredibly difficult and it’s pushed me to the edge of my sanity, eating micro meals every day and pot noodles while crawling about, sleeping downstairs and using a commode was very upsetting.

For the first few months I took taxis everywhere then I slowly progressed to doing the school runs over about 4/5 weeks with the help of friends and family (also a single parent). One thing I found helpful is liaising with the school, they allowed me to do later drop/picks up to give me a chance of getting a taxi allocated and they would bring the kids out to me when I got there and collect them in a morning so I wasn’t hopping about while in agony.

Make sure to keep on top of your painkillers and stay hydrated it helps more than you’d think. My GP gave me some sleeping tablets also because I couldn’t sleep from the pain.

I hope you feel better soon!

Are you able to go part way and arrange to have someone take her the rest of the way eg from the next street over?
Using crutches does get better after sone practice so I’d also look at a taxi or someone else taking her for the first week and spend some time practicing the route (just do part to start with then build up over a few days) while DD is at school

I would get a blow up mattress and sleep downstairs. Nothing would make me go up and down stairs on crutches. Ask the Mum living on your road to take DC for first week until you see how you go. Crutches hurt your arms. Mine ached so much with even short walks.

When I was NWB after breaking my ankle I didn't leave the house except to go to fracture clinic & I used my then dh wheelchair to get to the car. I had to use a Zimmer frame as I have dyspraxia & couldn't use crutches. Once I could weight bear I managed on crutches, I put everything I needed in the front pocket of my hoodie.

It's only 3 minutes op ......seriously

Speak to the school. I'm a TA and would collect a child in these circumstances.

As others have said don’t underestimate how hard it is physically to go any distance on crutches. I ended up having to get some different ones (from Amazon) with better hand grips as the hospital issued ones were agony. Also be careful in the rain - I didn’t find any of my crutches to be particularly non-slip.

Other things that helped:
a seat in the shower
trolley in the kitchen (for moving plates of food, cup of tea to sofa etc)
knee walker

I know but I have the upper body strength of a gnat and am chronically unfit! It’ll probably take me an hour now 😂

Whoops quoted wrong post! That was to @Marvellousmadness

can you leave a knee scooter chained up outside your front door with a bin bag over it to keep it dry (and stop prats thinking its funny and stealing it for a larf

def bed downstairs

backpack,
travel thermos cup thingy,
pole grabber thingy for picking things up off the floor,
pre cook and freeze loads of microwave-able meals in individual portions for you and DD (you can even do this with ham and cheese sandwiches
clear out your house so you have wide pathways in and out of the kitchen, bathroom and sofa. Crutches take up a lot more space and remove all rugs/trip hazards
put a stool in your bath or shower (out door furniture will hold up to the water)
get a waterproof cover for your cast for showering (a bin bag and shrinkwrap will also work)
do a big shop so you are fully stocked on loo roll, baked beans, shampoo, anything DD needs for upcoming school projects (basically become a mini prepper)
do all your laundry
buy some stool softners as if you are given strong pain meds, they will bung you up
Set up a station in a comfy spot for night and another one for day with a charger, remote controls, surface for drinks etc

consider buying some under the arm crutches (i think the nhs only gives you short ones). They are much easier to rest on if you need to (and you can get velcro padding to add on amazon

stash some mini treats for dd, so if she is having a moment you can more easily bribe her out of it

good luck

@SeaToSki you are a star. That is so helpful! Thank you

Ask the mum who walks past your door. Dd can be ready and standing at the gate so it won't add any time onto her journey.

Please just ask, I'm worrying already about you hobbling up and down the road twice a day

My daughter has just has surgery and non weight bearing for 4 weeks. Honestly it is hard and tiring. We hired a wheelchair for her hospital appointments otherwise she would have struggled to get from fracture clinic to x ray department. You need pads for the crutch handles and as someone before said the LIMBO plastic cover for showering. I also bought a rotating chair for the shower as it's too hard to stand. Stairs are difficult with 2 crutches as you need someone to carry one when you are holding onto the bannisters.
I would see if you can get someone to help you. People don't mind if you genuinely need help!

Honestly? I know it's expensive but think about buying something like this. Because the handles are ergonomic they won't hurt your hands if you're non weight bearing for 6 weeks

Colleague had a knee scooter hired - it was brilliant!

I've had patients need surgery on their hands after using crutches for 6 weeks. Obviously that's not that common but it really hurts to put all your weight on an area that gets no practice

So a little update - cast is on. Worse than I thought it was going to be tbh. I didn’t realise how bloody heavy I am until I had to haul myself around the house on one leg and my arms!

My bloody lovely mum is doing school runs atm, because even with the short school run I can’t manage it at all. I ache all over from the crutches.

Thank you all so much for tips. The coffee cup/bag round my neck has saved my sanity. And a tall stool in the kitchen! But I’m very much looking forward to it being off and having a rather large glass of wine and being able to get to the loo without hopping.

I was non-weight bearing on crutches for 3 months and made myself go to the local shop every day. It’s about 5 mins walk.

it was tough at first, but I persevered and it did get easier. My pectoral muscles got a great workout!

always put bad foot down first when descending steps and the good foot first when going up. I was told to think “the good go up to heaven and the bad go down to hell” to remember this. Do this even for small changes in level, like a kerb.

to get out of a chair - good foot on ground, put hand on that side on cross bar of crutches and other hand on chair seat so you have a firm, three point base to push up from.

go up and down stairs on your bum - it’s easiest and quickest.

good luck!