If you recently endured surgery on your foot or arm, your main focus is always resting & healing. What you may not realize is how healing in the winter may present its own set of risks that you need to keep top of mind.
1. Slush, Ice & Snow
Whether you have injured your foot, leg, ankle, arm, wrist or shoulder, winter conditions such as slush, ice & snow can cause some unwarranted risks. Slick conditions can make it dangerous to walk around if you have a boot or crutches. Slipping & falling in these conditions could cause further damage to your injury.
Additionally, casts & boots need to stay dry. These elements could cause your cast or boot to become wet which could lead to irritation or infection. Covering your casts with waterproof covers can help prevent contamination. Slush can be filled with bacteria that could get inside your arm or leg cast & lead to infection, especially if you have a wound from surgery. It is important to keep your cast or boot covered and protected from these winter elements.
2. Exposed Toes & Fingers
Casts & boots leave toes & fingers exposed to the elements. Keeping these areas warm and dry is extremely important. You do not want to put these sensitive areas at risk for dangers such as frost bite. Also, once these areas are cold there are some risks associated with heating, if you underwent surgery or have medical conditions such as diabetes. In these cases, there is damaged tissue that may compromise the feeling & tamper with your gauge on the warmth of your toes & fingers. Overheating these areas can cause severe burns. For this reason, it is best to avoid toe and hand warmers and be careful near any fires.
3. Sleet & Falling Snow
While walking in slick conditions may pose risk to anyone, falling snow & sleet can also damage your cast. These types of conditions can cause moisture in your cast which can lead to irritation & infection. Keeping your cast dry is always important. If you do get your cast wet, please contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Wintertime can be a wonderful & having an injury shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the winter elements! Keep these potential risks in mind & look for ways, like a waterproof cast cover, to keep yourself protected in any condition.
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